The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-12-02
History Written to Exaggerate
British Achievements.
IRISnMEN In AMERICAN JOURNALISM
First Daily Paper in Boston by
Trinity College Man.

There was banquet OF the American
Irish Historical Society at the Bellevue
Hotel. Boston, Nov. IS.
Seated at the head table were prcsi-
dent General Thomas ]. Gargan, Hon.
Patrick A. Collins, James Jeffrey Roche,
Joseph Smith, Secretary Thomas Ham
ilton Murray and Rev. Father James
O'Brien.
AT the other tables were noticed
Judge Burke, Of the municipal court;
Edmund Reardon, William Dooguc, Jo-
scph p. Flatlcy, Enas Smith, Patrick M.
kcating, Martin Fay, James II. Devlin,
Peter F. Corbett, Michael McManus,
Thomas B. Fitzpatrick, Michael J..
Ward, Michael A. Toland, Hon. John
c. Linnelar, OF Concord, N. H., and
many others.
Hon. Thomas ]. Gargan, the prcsi-
dent general OF the society, in calling
the gathering to order, said in part:
I'VE are now rewriting the history OF
the United States. Modern methods OF
writing history differ radically from
the methods pursued a half century
ago. Then the historian accepted
as facts what his predecessors
had written in the same field, talk
ing them uncl,allcngcd Today we
take nothing for granted; we carefully
examine facts and scrutinize authorities.
In our day we have access to many
more records, letters, documents and
papers that throw new light upon
men and motives. We now know that
the part which the Englishmcn took in
the settlement and development of this
country has been much exaggerated, as
we'll known writer has recently said:
My investigations have impressed
me with the belief that of the seventy
five million Of people forming our pres
ent population, there arc far greater
number OF individuals who could be
more certain OF their African origin
than there are those who could prove
a direct English descent
"Recent Investigations have shown
that in addition to the large number OF
immigrants bearing distinctively Irish
names during the eighteenth century, a
large number were compelled by law to
assume other names.
"After Cromwell had completed his
work in Ireland, over 100000 men
were driven into exile; many OF them
entered the armies OF Europe; a very
large number cmigratcd to America
Over 100000 young children, who had
been made orphans or taken from their
Irish Catholic parents, were sent to the
West Indies, Virginia and New Eng
land, that they might lose their faith as
we'll as the knowledge OF their national
ity.
"1n 1853 contract was made by one
Captain Vernon with Mr. David Sellcck
and Mr.. Lcador to supply them will,
$50 women Of the Irish nation above II
and under 45 years OF age, and 300 men
above I2 and under so years OF age, to
be found in the country within twenty
miles OF Cork, to be transported into
New England and sold in New England
at a profit to the English commission
Many girls OF gentle birth were impris-
oncd and sold by these man -catchcrs
This shocking evil at last attracted at
tcntion, when they began to seize the
daughters and children OF English par
cnts living in ireland.
"Thomas Adds Emmett, OF New
York, member OF our society, who has
collected many OF these facts, writes
that These young Irish women must
have all been eventually transformed
at least into Irish Puritans' If so, Mr.
Emmett adds, their progeny must in
time have given quite Hibcrnian tint
to the blue blood OF the descendants o
the Maynowcr. l have not found that
the New England writers have noted
these facts, but evidently they failed to
do so on evidence that they were not
| Scotch-Irish women"
An interesting paper was read. by
Michael E. Hennessy, on "Irishmcn in
American Journalism" Irishmcn, he
said, were among the pioneers in the
establishment of the early American
newspapers. They were among the first
paper manufacturers OF the country, and
prior to the revolution many of them
were engaged in the printing business.
! Naturally, they drifted into publishing