The Irish standard., 1900-09-15

Stephen Moylan, colonel of Moylan's
Dragons, who was aide to Gen. Wash
ington and commissary-general of the
American army, was an Irishman and
Catholic. He was brother to Right.
Rev. DR.. Moylan, Catholic Bishop of
Cork, where he was born in 1874.
Brig. g.-Gen. Moylan was the first
member on the roll of the Friendly
Sons of st. Patrick, of Philadelphia,
who raised men and money for Wash
ington's army when, barefooted and
demoralized, they were retreating
from the British through New Jersey
in the winter of 1776. 1t was Maurice
O'Brien, a native of Cork, who with
his five stalwart sons captured the
armed English vessel Margaretta, in
Machias Bay, Maine. So that Irish
men and Catholics had the honor Of
winning the first naval victory in the
war for American independence.
Three of the O'Briens-Jeremiah,
John and William-continued in the
naval service of the Republic until the
close of the war.
Jeremiah O'Brien was appointed to
the command of The Liberty, and his
brother, William, served under him as
lieutenant. See Cooper's Naval His
tory.
Gen. James Shields, who won his
spurs by gallant deeds in the Mexican
war, and was afterward elected to the
United States Senate, was also men,
ber of that .despised race and creed.
Then there We're Fighting Phil Kear-
ny, Col. Michael Corcoran, and Gen.
Thos. Francis Meagher. who COM
manded the Irish Brigade in, the Ar
my of the Potomac; the immortal
Philip H. Sheridan, who turned de-
feat into victory over Early Mt Win
chester. helped to drive the Confed-
crate from Petersburg and Richmond,
and aided Grant to bring about the
surrender of Gen. Lees army at Ap-
pomattox.
These are only a few of the vast
number of Catholics who, either as
officers or private soldiers, fought and
died for the independence and preser-
vation of this republic, who We're Of
the Irish race and of the Catholic
faith.
We can well afford to laugh at the
puerile efforts of those who would
asierse, the character of Irish Catholics
and charge them with disloyalty
when We read the warm and generous
tribute paid them by Washington, the
father of his country, who was better
able to Judge of their character and
loyalty than are the modern Ameri-
can patriots of the type represented
by another Kind of American" :.
Soon after 'Washington's Inaugural
tion as President, various Catholic
bodies presented him with n congratu-
latory address, which was signed as
follows:
"In behalf of the Catholic Clergy.
(RevD 81. Carroll.
"In behalf of the Catholic laity,
"Charles Carroll, of Carrollton; Daniel
Carroll, Thomas Fitzsimmons, Daniel
Lynch"
Washington's reply to this address
was, in part, as follows:
"Gentlemen-I now receive with
much satisfaction your congratula-
tions on my being called by a unan-
imous vote to- the first station of my
country ~" And presume that your
fellow-citizens will not forget the pa
triotic part which you took in the ac-
complishment of their revolution, and
the establishment of their government,
or the important assistance which they
received from a nation (France) in
which the Catholic faith is profess
sed. (Signed)
GEORGE WASHINGTON"
The claim that Irish Catholics took
a prominent part in the rebellion of
the American colonists against Eng
land is still further fortified by DR..
McNevin, who says: zone of the Of
fences charged upon the Irish by the
British government, and among the
many pretexts for refusing redress to
the Catholics of Ireland was the fact
that 10000 of them fought on the side
of America during the revolutionary
war;" ....
The facts above set forth prove that
the descendants of Irish Catholics
have every right to resent the attempt
of some self-styled American patriots
to treat with contumely and hold up
to ridicule those who are not ashamed
to profess the Catholic faith, and are
proud Of being members of the Irish
race.
The New York Staats-Zeitung says:
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