The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-05-27
TO JEFFERSoN'S IMMORTAL DOCUMENT
Introduction of Liberal Arts by
The Exiles Of Erin.
A VAST IMMIGRATION FROM MUNSTER
Some Who Have Climbed to
Exalted Positions.

The following excerpts are taken from
an interesting article contributed to the
Forum by Mr.. John J. O'Shea, the edi-
tor of the Philadelphia Standard and
Times:
The Irish who began to flock into
New England and contiguous states in
early days were not all tillers of the soil
and handicraftsmen The liberal arts
were fairly represented. Many of the
most famous men Of Colonial and Rev.
olutionary days had been taught by
Irish schoolmasters. The most illustri-
GUS of these educators was, perhaps, the
renowned dean OF Derry, better known
by his late title, Bishop Berkeley, found
er OF the school OF philosophy which
bears his name. He was native OF
Kilkenny, although generally included
i'll the catalogue of eminent Ulstermen.
Berkeley may be reckoned as one OF
those immigrants who conferred invalu-
able benefit on the American nation, be-
cause his mission here was at once
philanthropic and educational. He came
to found college for the conversion
and education of the Indians; it was at
Newport, Rhode Island, that he wrote
"Alciphron, or the Minute Philosopher" !"
and before he left these shores he be-
slowed on the then incipient college of
Yale his magnificent collection of books
the finest that, down to his day, had
been brought to North America.
In the year 1923 a Limerick school
master named Sullivan appeared with a
batch of Belfast immigrants. Mars as
we'll as Minerva came with him, for on
the voyage he had met an attractive
Cork girl, whom he wooed and won.
The pair settled in New Hampshire, and
they had two sons, John and James, who
played great part in the Revolutionary
struggle. 1t was John Sullivan who, as
brigadier general, made the fight on
Bunker Hill possible by his gallant cap
ture of Fort William and Mary, with its
stores Of powder and ordnance, and who
had the satisfaction of commanding the
Continental army when the British were
compelled to evacuate Boston.
We find at least six Of the signers of the
declaration of independence descendants
of men who came to the colonies in those
early days-all men of rank and of an
education far beyond what is usually i'm
parted in these more pretentious times.
There was Charles Carroll, of Carroll
ton, whose famous newspaper contro-
versy with Attorney General Dulayne
almost takes rank with the letters of
Junius and the Draper series of Swift.
Robert Treat Paine, another of the sig
natories, was the son of an Irish
gentleman named O'Neill, who had
changed his patronymic in order to save
an estate derived from his mothers fam
lily, whose name was Paine. He studied
theology and law at Harvard, and was
successfully chaplain to the troops, at
torney general and a Judge of the su-
preme court. Thomas Mexican, presi-
dent Of congress, another OF the sigma
tories, was the son of Irish parents.
Thomas Nelson, who also signed, was
descendant of Donald O'Neill, Prince
OF Ulster, who brought Edward Bruce
to Ireland to aid in the expulsion of the
English. He succeeded Jefferson as
governor of Virginia, and commanded
the state troops during Lafayette's cam
paign against CORVALLIS down to the
surrender OF Yorktown. Another of the
signatories, James Smith, was a gentle
man of Irish birth, but from what prov
ince he came is uncertain. There is a
similar uncertainty about the natal place
Of the Hon. Matthew Thornton, who
also signed the Declaration. All that
is positively known is that he was an
lrishman by birth; that he was sur
geon in the Cape Breton Expedition and
subsequently became colonel in the
continental army, justice OF the peace,
delegate to congress, a justice of the
supreme court, and finally chief justice
of the common pleas.
The early colonial newspapers contain
many advertisements of Irish school
masters, both Presbyterians and Roman
Catholics. Philadelphia appears to have
had much attraction for the pedagogues.
The revenues OF the port from the tax
on immigrants must have been consider
able, even in very early days.
! When the sanguinary campaign OF