The Irish standard., 1898-12-17

ment. The truth is that on the lists
which remain are thousands OF Irish
names. "An American" should read
Saffel. He should read the work recent
ly brought out by New York state on the
soldiers of the revolution from within
it's borders. He should take up the lists
of minute men at the time of the Lex
ington alarm, and of the patriots who
contested at Bunker sHfll. If he does he
will find Irish namas in profusion.
He guilelessly proceeds to say that
"the statistics of the Catholic church
afford a very safe basis to go upon in es-
timatins the Irish in our early popula-
ton" Nonsense! A large percentage
of the Irish in our population at the
period of the revolutions were Protestant
Irish. For these Catholic statistics are
no basis at all.
Commenting upon an address by ex-
Congressman ONeill. of Boston, he de-
clares that this proves that up to the
beginning OF the seventeenth century the
Irish immigration was practically moth
ing" That is to say up to the year 1900.
WE'LL admitting this to be true, what
bearing has it on the Irish in our revo-
luton? Again, can American" says
that ''the sole warrant for the statement
about one-half of the revolutionary army
being Irish is one Galloway who, for
reasons of his own, elected to do little
romancing before parliamentary COM
mission"
The readers of "The Sun" are rational
beings, who expect more logical reply
to Galloway's important statement than
the fiippant assertion that he was en-
gagged in "a little romancing." The
strength of the Irish element in our
armies of the revolution was very great
OF the generals, the following were
Irish by birth or extraction: Sullivan,
Knox, Moylan, Hand, Stewart, Thomson,
Montgomery, Rutherford, Irvine, Wayne,
the Clintons, Hogan, Reed, Maxwell,
Poor and several others. or leading ma
val officers who were Irish by birth or
descent were: Barry, O'Brien, MCGEE,
Burke, Dunn, flaming, Murphy and
long list of other brave men. On at
least one occasion Washington ordered
the celebration of st. Patrick's day, out
of compliment to the Irish in his COM
mand. (See order issued at Morristown
March II, 1780). But, then, suppose,
can American" would claim that Wash
ington was "only romancing"
Gen. Robertson, testifying before a
committee Of the British house of COM
mons, on the American patriot army
August, 1873, was asked by Lord George
Germaine: "How are the principal corps
composed? Are they mostly native
Americans, or immigrants from various
nations of Europe? Robertson answer
ed: Some Of the corps consist mostly
of natives, others, believe the greater
number, are enlisted from such people
as can be got in the country, and many
Of them may be emigrants. l remember
Gen. Lee telling me that half the rebel
army were from Ireland"
George Washington Parke GUSTS,
Washington's adopted son, declares that
up to the coming Of tile; French, Ireland
furnished men for DUR army lin the ratio
of 100 for one Of any other nation" He
adds: "Then honGed sbe the old and
good services Of thS sons of Erin in the
war of independence. slet the shamrock
be entwined with Asrels of the revo-
luton, and truth ard Justice guiding the
pen Of history inscribe on the tablets OF
Americas remembrance Eternal graft
tude to Irishmen.''
THOMAS HAMILTON MURRAY.
Boston, Nov. %.