The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-18
Is Given Enthusiastic Welcome
in New York
SPENDS STRENUOUS DAY
Makes Characteristic Address to the
Friendly Sons of ST. Patiek-Reads
Unique Teleaam at
Banquet.

New York, March 17.-President Roose-
Welt was the guest of honor tonight at
the list annual dinner of the Friendly
Sons of st. aPtrick. He was accorded
a f1attering ovation by more than 600
members of the society, and its guest.
and responded In a notable address.
The banquet was given in the golden
dining hall at Delmonico's and it's annex,
and both rooms were filed to the ca
pacity. So great was the demand for
tickets that the society was obliged to
refuse more than 1000 applications. Both
the main banquet hall and the annex
were beautifully decorated with festoons
of the stars and stripes, into which was
effectively woven the green and gold
flag of Erin. The banquet tables were
banked with American beauty roses and
bride roses and carnations. They were
set off most effectively by garlands Of
green and gold electric lights. strung
diagonally across the hall.
"a Thousand Welcomes"
Immediately back and above the seat
of the President were the Gaelic words
'.Cead Mile Failte" in letters of fire,
To the right and left of the guests
table, were medallions of Washington
and Roosevelt. Illuminated by unique
electric eeffcts.
The contrast of Washington and Roose-
welt is significant. The Friendly Sons of
st. Patrick entertained Washington in
1882 as the general in chief of the CO.
1onfal armies. Roosevelt was the first
president as such the Friendly Sons of
ST. aPtrick have entertained, although
both Arthur and Cleveland as ex-presi-
dents were guests of the society.
The President arrived at 500, and for
half an hour held q reception. Tonight,
escorted by Judge Fitzgerald, the presi-
dent Of the society, the POSTMASTER at the
dinner, President Roosevelt Roosevelt was
conducted to tic dining room, where he
VIZ. given rousing cheers. Many of the
guests waved the Stars and Stripes and
the flag of erin enthusiastically. The
President was introduced by Judge Fitz-
gerald, and in response said:
..It is nearly a quarter of a century of
a sntury since served with Judge Fitz-
gerald, but l am still in line with him.
l shall write TO Colonel Duffy of the Sixty
ninth regiment OF my appreciation OF the
licly to thank the regiment tonight.
wish to read a telegram received tonight.
1t is a sop to one of my well known preju--
dices. The recipient was father tonight
when he came to this banquet Now he
is a grandfather. Here is the telegram:
Reads Telegram.
Peter Mcdonnell, Friendly Sons of st.
Patrick Dinner
3" Patrick lst arrived. Tired after pa
rade. Sends his regards to the President.
He is the 1r5. on record since Teddy at
tended the T-iendly Sons dinner. He is
a fine singer TO race suicide in this fam
lily. Weight, ei9ht pounds, and looks like
the whole family. All is well.
"nCPERT M'DONNELL.'
"And now. gentlemen" continued the
President. II want you to join me in
drinking to the health of Peter Mcdonnell
and above all to Mrs. Mcdonnell"
The President Speaks.
Long before the outbreak of the revo-
luton there had begun on the soil of the
colonies which afterwards became the
United States, that mixture of races
which has been and still is one of the
most important features in our history
as people. At the time early in the
eighteenth century when the immigrants
from Ireland began first to come in num-
bers to this country. the race elements
In our population were still imperfectly
fused, and for some time the new Irish
strain was clearly distinguishable from
the others. There was a popularity about
these immigrants who came from Ireland
to the colonies during the eighteenth CEN
tury, which has never been paralleled in
the case of any other immigrants whatso-
ever. In all other cases. since the very
first settlements, the pushing westward
of the frontiers has been due primarily
to the men of native birth. But the i'm
migrants from Ireland in the seventeenth
century pushed boldly through the settled
districts and planted themselves as the
advance guard of the conquering civiliza-
tion on the borders of the Indian-haunted
wilderness. In Maine and northern New
Hampshire. In western Pennsylvania. Vir-
ginia and North Carolina. alike this. was
true.
Furnished Share of leadership.
"By the time the revolution broke out
these men had begun to mix with their
fellows of other stocks, and they furnish
ed their full share of leadership in the
great struggle which made us a nation.
Among their number was Commodore
John Barry, one of three or four officers
to whom uor infant navy owed most On
land they furnished generals like Mont
gomery, who fell so gloriously at Quebec
and Sullivan, the c0nquerOr OF the
Iroquois, who came of New Hampshire
family, which furnished governors to
three New England states, while the
continental troops of the hardest fighter
among Washington's generals Mad An
thony Wayne were recruited SO largely
from this stock that Light Horse Harry
Lee always referred to them as THE line
of Ireland" NJ. must we forget that of
this same stock there was boy during
the days of the Revolution who after
wards became the chief American general
of his time, and as President one of the
public men who left his impress most
deeply upon our>nation, old Andrew jack
son, the victor of New Orleans.
"In the second great crisis of our coun-
try's hfstory--tke period Of the Civil war
the part played by the men of Irish
birth or parentage was no less striking
than 1t had been in the Revolution.
Among the three or four great generals
who led the northern army in the war
stood Phil cheridan. Some OF those whom
am now addressing served In that i'm
mortal brigade which on the fatal day
Of fredericksburg left its dead close to-