Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-02-04
Address of President Gargan
to the American Irish His
tOrical Society.
Irishmen Proud of Their Ances'
try and Truest of True
Americans.
THEIR PART IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN


Gargan, the new President General, and
lanes Jeffrey Roche, the able editor OF
the Boston Pilot, delivered addresses
that created great enthusiasm. President
Gargan spoke as follows:
We may congratulate ourselves OH the
nrogress which this society has made
during the two years of its existence.
On January 20, 1897, in response to a
call signed by thirty gentlemen from
several of the States of our republic,
forty or more gentlemen assembled at
Boston and organized this society. Among
other statements the call recited that
number of gentlemen interested i'll the
mart taken in American history by people
of Irish birth or lineage are about to or
oanize themselves into an historical So
ciety for the purpose of investigating and
recording the influence Of that element
in the upbuilding of the nation; also to
place the Irish element in its true ight
in American history, to secure its correct
irrespective in relation to historic events
ON this soil is the final aim OF the new
society. It's primal object will be to
ascertain the facts, weigh them IN rela-
ton to contemporary events and estimate
their historical value avoiding in this
process the exaggeration and extrava-
pance of poorly informed writers on the
one hand and the prejudice and misrep-
resentation of hostile writers on the
other. We further stated the organiza-
ton will be constructed on broad and
liberal plan. 1t will be non-political and
no religious test will be required for adj
mission to membership or tNe holding OF
Office. Being an American organization
in spirit and principle, the society Will
welcome 70 its ranks americans OF what-
ever race and descent who evince an IN
terest in the special line of research for
which the society is organized. Estab-
lished on this broad and liberal basis,
the accessions to its roll of membership
have been most encouraging, as we have
now more than one thousand members,
representatives in the truest sense OF tire
intelligence and character of the descend
ants of the Irish race in America, coming
from all parts of this great country a
country which their forefathers among
the early colonists took an active part in
retaining from the wilderness and up
building into this great republic OF the
United States, of which we are no insig-
nifcant factor. A distinguished man,
who wrote nearly a century ago, SAID
that all history was series OF lies which
few men agreed to consider facts. We
all agree that much of the history that
has been written in the past has been
written by men who preferred to see
things through their preJudices rather
than their eyes, and no people have SUI
fered more from the ignorance and preJu-
dice of writers-particularly English
xvr;ters-than the Irish people. I'M
fortunately many New England writers
inherited the prejudices of their English
ancestors and have either deliberately
slurred the contributions of the Irish in
opr history or have failed to record them.
A discriminating and critical public de-
mand that the searchlight shall be thrown
upon the dark spots. We are now IN
this scientific age rewriting much OF our
history and revising our judgment OF
men. We cordially welcome this new
era confident that when all the facts are
carefully scrutinized and critically ex-
amined the Irish in the United States
have nothing to fear, but on the con-
trary will gain UNNECESSARILY IN the
minds of all intelligent and impartial
men. $50,
this society papers will be found OF the
early history of the Irish settlers in New
England, by Messrs. Murray, Linehan,
Smith. Brandon and Sheahan, members
of our society, thus preserving in perma'
nent form facts useful to the future MS
torian. The New England historian has
never been noted for modesty in claim
ing full share of the glory of our coun-
try for New Englanders, or, as he is
prone TO write it, descendant OF the
Anolo-Saxon race. While honoring as
they deserve to be honored the men OF
Boston and Massachusetts, who initiated
the war of the revolution, we are not un-
mindful of what others have done to
make our independence possible and es'
tablish this form Of government OF ours
founded upon the doctrine-not OF the
divine right of Kings or OF any Other
ruler, no matter what he may call him
self-to rule people, but the divine right
Of the people to rule themselves, and lest
we forget in our hour OF conquest let us
recall again the doctrine OF the founders
of this Government-that all government
ought to rest on the consent of the gov
erned. In establishing this Government
the Irish element were very important
factor. In the British House of Com
mons Report. 9th session, 4th Parlis