The Irish standard., 1898-09-17

Valley Forge" Do you know when
Washington was at Valley Forge? In
the winter of 1777-S. Why, the British
were in Philadelphia all that time. Do
you think they permitted anyone to COL
lect money for Washington's men at
Valley Forge? once read an Grafton
of one of our orators, who said that
Thomas Ftz-Simons trundled hand
barrow through the streets of Philadel-
phia, while the people threw money in
it to relieve Washington. What balder-
dash! Why, the British army was in
Philadelphia and didn't let all this be
done. Yet that is the yarn our people
get every st. Patrick's night, and many
times during the year.
l know when the merchants of Phila-
delphia, of whom you say q We're men,
bers Of the Friendly Sons, as if that So
ciety did the collecting, made what you
call the subscription, but that wasn't
until the 18th Of June, 1850, or ex-
actly two years after Washington
went to Valley Forge-and there were
not ~ but 25 Friendly Sons. They were
very late, were they not, in getting to
help Washington's suffering army at
Valley Forge? And yet that is the kind
of history our people get and believe.
There is abundant glorious telling that
can be given out, but who is seeking
it, or who wants to know it? Don't
| these old-time tales suffice to arouse
cheers for our orators?
| When you talk about "these grand
Irish soldiers do you know they were
Irish Presbyterians who entered the
army through hatred Of "Popery;;" that
the Revolutionary war was an anti
Catholic movement; that but for the
Quebec act-"the last straw" as Henry
Armit Brown called it, there would have
been no gun and powder fighting? In
the providence of God it all turned out
that what was done by the continental
congress and these Presbyterans to curb
Catholicity and prevent it being i'm
posed on the colonies" became the very
means of giving the church a place for
\ AASSNcAiA VI eASllOA WHICH las ulituc ucT
occupy such distinguished place in our
country.
have for years made the study of the
Revolution hobby" am daily seeking
to be better informed concerning it,and
the position of those Of my race and
creed in it. l have published much and
have available more information than I
ever will live to print or write up, and
SO l know there is much to the honor of
our people that is yet unknown. know
also that scarcely a well-known story
OF the great deeds of the Irish or the
Catholics is rightly or truthfully told,
and that very many are simply manu-
featured, and by those, l believe, who
never gave day to seeking at original
sources.
l have printed the proofs that dozens
upon dozens of these statements of
great doings are wholly untrue; l could
make book out of the number Of
Irish or Catholic lies in American
history and all the while there is full
and plenty to tell that is true and credit
able.
After nine years l have just put in
shape q recital of the career of Thomas
Burke, the one-eyed, pock-marked Cath
Ollie member of the continental congress-.
and governor of North Carolina,
who said to his brother co the chief
justice of South Carolina, ut is a long
time between drinks" Did you ever
hear Of him in Irish American history?
Wasn't 1T curious that two natives Of
Ireland, and Catholics at that, were in
such honored positions in the Revolu-
tlonary war, and yet did you ever hear a
st. Patrck's day orator even mention
their names
The Revolution was Gods doing.
Catholics were not the custodians of His
providence and love, nor Ills fcrcknowl-
edge Congress and the people were
hostile to His church. but events made
1t free and glorious. Vet Catholics in
the only province where the church was
as free us she is today Pennsylvania,
were loyalists to England very gener-
any, and ye- her power was broken and
the church freed while they bitterly felt
the dcnunciation Of congress that theirs
was a religion fraught with impety,
rebellion and murder in every part of
the world That's the spirit the Rev
olutloa began in The .une was changed
when They cried to France: Come over
and help u.s. Respectfully,
MARTIN I. j. GRIFFIN,