The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1906-03-03
A SINGING REPLY
An Ohio univsrsallst Minister
Taken to Task.
A Malignant Reference to the
Irish People the Cause.

Speaking Of the immigration Ques-
ton at a conference in the Universal
list church Of this city. on Tuesday
evening Of last week, the Rev. Eben
L. Rexford made an invidious refer
ence to the Irish. which was duly re-
ported in Wednesday evenings Dis
patch. and aroused the just indigna-
ton of every citizen of Irish birth and
extraction in, the city, says the Catho-
lie Columbian of Feb. "a.
| singing reply to the reverend
doctor appeared in Friday evenings
Dispatch from the pen Of Mr.. Luke
G. Byrne. president of The Columbian
Co., who marshalled forth q strong ar
ray of facts, which doubtless gave
much necessary information to the
reverend doctor and all who are small
minded and ignorant enough to agree
with him. Mr.. Byrnes letter follows:
Sir: The Dispatch of Wednesday
evening contained what purported to
be speech of DR.. Rexford wherein
he declared himself as opposed most
emphatically to the present exclusion
laws in regard to the Chinese, and
said: Gas between John and Pat I
would choose John; he comes with
his dissipation. it is true, but he takes
his opium quietly, letting the world
go on it's way, while Pat comes with
his whisky and wants to lick the
world"
| Rev. DR.. E. L. Rexford is pastor Of
the Universalist church of this city
and is very We'll known, and has gen.
orally been regarded as preacher of
depth and breadth Of learning, and
hence his avowed preference for the
Chinese immigrant over the Irish i'm
migrant is matter Of more than pass
ing moment and should be noted.
| The devout doctor has as much right
to such preference as the old woman
had who kissed the COW, and Of this
no one should complain. The ques-
ton. however, arises, is the reverend
doctor as broad and deep and learned
| as has been suspected? Is it ignor-
ance or malice that prompted this
Universalist preacher to express his
hatred of the Irish? Does this scorner
Of the Irish race know what Irish
| men have done in science and art, in
the pulpit, in the forum and on the
| field of battle? Does this Anglo
American preacher know how much
! his English ancestors were indebted
to 1rishmen of their day, and how
much he is indebted to 1rishmen of
the present day: If he has never read
these things, it is time he and other
traducers of the Irish race be in
formed of them.
1t must be admitted that great
many of Pat" came to this country
even before the war of the revolution
and probably drank a good deal OF
whisky and wanted even at that time
ito lick the world" Mr.. F'roude in
his History of Ireland" said that the
foremost, the most irreconcilable, the
most determined in pushing the revo-
luton to successful issue, were the
Irish. Lord Mountjoy, in the debate
on America, declared. in the House Of
Commons: you have lost America
through the Irish" Major Genera
Robertson, being Intercepted as t.
the troops in the Continental army
, boldly affirmed that "one-haf. tn,
rebel army was composed of Irish sol
diers." Galloway, a delegate to tn
, first Continental Congress, when ques
> toned as to the troops in Washing
? toms army, replied: Il can answe
with precision that fully one-half o
), the rebel army was Irish" Ramsay
, in his History of the Revolution" di
not hesitate to say that the Irish Il
America was faithful almost to
man, in the cause of liberty and indie
), pendence. One-fourth of the commits
stoned officers and one-half the me
), in the army and navy were of Iris
birth or descent; the first general Off
Ger killed in battle, the first officer q
artillery appointed, the first officer I
surprise a fort by land, and the frs
victor to whom British flag struc
at sea-were Irishmen. 1t would re
quire too much space to mention b,
~ a few honorable Irish names thu
~ adorn the history of the American re,
70 olution. The Buffers, the Moylans, Il
- .Sullivans, the Jaspers, the Montgon
=. erys' the Starks, Mad Anthony Wayn
the Lynches. the McKeans. the Rea'
H. and hundreds Of others, all men
OF whose veins coursed Irish blood.
" Commodore Barry. the Father of t
Ok American Navy" was only an Irishms
H. Charles O'Connor, the leader Of t
e. American bar. was only an Irishms
az Rev. A. J. Ryan, the cypress-crown
es poet of the South. was only an Iris
lis man. John c. Calhoun, the father
OF the states right school of politics, "
{ only an Irishman. Mccormick, the
ventor of the steam reaping machi
was only an Irishman. General Shiel
!. the bullet-proof hero Of Mexico.
The only man that ever won victory o.