The Irish standard., 1898-02-12
mostly Irish, who soon outnumbered

mostly Irish, who soon outnumbered
the Quakers.
"All down the Appalachian or Alle-
ghany range of mountains, from New
York to the Gulf OF Mexico, the popula-
tion today Is descended chiefly from
northern Irish immigrants of the lase
century. Kentucky and Tennessee were
almost purely Irish colonies, as were
most of the towns and villages along
the whole course Of the Ohio river.
West Virginia and the highlands of
North and South Carolina and Georgia
are the same, aud by far the greater
portion Of these Irish spread out over
the land OF Pennsylvania.
alexander Hamilton Is quoted az
saying that New York and Pennsylva-
MIA were the only two colonies that
furnished congress with all its require
ments during the war Of independence.
This is the more singular regarding
Pennsylvania, because the greater part
Of the English in that colony were
Quakers and most OF the Quakers wers
not only opposed to the war, but op-
posed to the separation of the colonies
from the mother country. However, In
Philadelphia there was strong and in
fluential Irish element, and 1t was there
that Robert Morris, Of Irish descent.
the great f1nancier of the rebels lived.
There, too, some time before the war
broke out, society was formed calleS
the Friendly Sons of st. Patrick, which
held social meetings where Irish Ca...
olics, Presbyterians, Quakers and -pis-
copalians were united like band of
brothers, This society, though some
OF its members were Friends, did much
to encourage the struggle for indepen-
dence. Washington wrote to thank its
president for the firm adherence of it's
members to the glorious cause in whicie
we are embarked
Though there were thirty-nine gen.
eral officers OF Irish birth or descent in
the American revolutionary armies, the
number Of lower ofncers and prlvates
was still more remarkable. During a
parliamentary inquiry on the detail
and conduct OF the American war; In
reply to question from Edmund Burke,
the witness, Major General Robertson,
testified that General Lee, of the Ameri-
can army, said, Half Of the rebel ARMY
is from Ireland And before another
parliamentary committee, held In ..,,
Mr.. Galloway, a former secretary OF the
Provincial legislature OF Pennsylvania,
stated: "The rebel armies are one
quarter OF American birth, one-quarter
of English and Scntch and one-half
Irish
During those weary eight years of
struggle for independence, the Irish
were everywhere prominent. Though
only slightly more than one-quarter of
the signers of the declaration Of inde-
pendence were Irish, eight OF the thir-
teen colonies had Irish governors, and
the most brilliant and persuasive ora
tor in the country was Patrick Henry,
of whom Jefferson afterward said: ne
was far above us in maintaining the
spirit of the revolution
Daniel Boone, the founder of Ken
tucky, and a hero dear to the hearts Of
most American boys; Sam Houston, the
president Of the republic of Texas, who
brought 1t into the United States, and
Clarke, to whose discoveries and enter
prises are due the additions of the states
Of Oregon and Washington to the Union,
were all of Irish descent and the names
Of the descendants of Irish ancestors
who took part in the recent civil war in
America ON both sides, from Generals
Sheridan and Stonewall Jackson down.
would fill volumes.
THE Puritans, the Quakcrs and the
Indians all announced that no Irish
need apply; but the lrishman did not
mind that in the least He did apply,
and he took possession of the country,
for better or for worse He has not
been an unmixed blessing; sometimes
tho blessing has been strangely dis;
gu1sed; but it is certain that America
owes much of what she now is, good and
bad, to the Irish, whose descendants
as far as we can see must have the
greatest share in her future veal or
Woe"