The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-07
The He'd Hand of Ulster In tmcri-
can History.

can HISTORY.
Many scattered threads are drawn
together in finished pattern by Henry
JONES FoHp. professor Of politics at
Princeton University. in tho history Of
n SCOtch-Frish IN America prince
ton University Press. The "planta-
ton" Of the north of ireland, princi-
pally by Scottish settlers, the forma-
ito of the "Scotch-Irish' breed"
tho emigration of a host OF its MEM
bers To America and their influence in
shaping early American history and
institutions form a historical sequence
so logically complete that IL Is a Won
der The representatives. of that inter
eStiug. energetic and cohesive element
IN the American racial composite have
so long permitted their history to rest
in widely dispersed and not easily ac-
ccssible documents, records and fraG-
montary essays. Professor Ford's
painstaking research leaves little ma
'crial available for aftercomers, and
his compact, straightforward presen-
tation of II leaves nothing to he de-
sired in respect of literary dress.
From the English and Irish State
papers contemporary with the planta-
ton in 1909 and following years Mr..
Ford draws conclusive evidence tina
the scheme was not the invention of
any individual but the outcome OF
the craftsmanship Of the age" Lord
Deputy Chichester. who happily was
at the head Of the Irish Government
at the time and was IA typical speci-
men OF the class OF p~roconsuls whose
solid characteristics have been the
building material OF the British En-
pire." put the problem in a nutshell:
Many endeavor the finding out OF
Virginia. Guiana ard other remote
and unknown countries, and leave
this Of our own waste and desolate."
how waste ard desolate this land OF
the 'wylde lryshe' was is set forth
with picturesque detail. \ Scotch
Presbyterian clergyman, the Rev.
Robert Blair, who settled in Ireland
In 1923. wrote that the whole coun-
try did lie waste; the English possess
ing some few towns and castles, maxi
ing use Of small parcels of near ad-
JaCcnt lands, tho Trishcs STAYING in
woods. boys and such fast places. 80
Of the Scottish settlers no said: ".Nl-
belt Divine Providence scnt ovcr soma
worthy persons for birth. education
n parts, yet the most part were
such as either poverty. scandalous
lives or. at the best. adventurous seek
ing Of better accommodation set for
ward that way TIE historian OF
this period and movement. delving in
old records, must he constantly on
guard against statement and ~insinua-
ton colored by bitter prejudice. That
educated clergy OF which Scotch
Presbyter.anism was inordlnate.y fond
set so high a standard for the deter
minat!on OF It's judgments in moral
premises that a more refined" peo-
pie than those over whom il sat in
Judgment In both the south OF Scot
and and the north of Ireland might
easily have incurred its sulphurous
censure. The interesting point in the
matter is that il was the Scotch
and not another people that came into
lister. Their migratory tendency
was suborned by the nearness Of the
promised land and the ease OF ferr.aGe
across the North Channel of tho Irish
sea. Nor is offence to he taken, on
either racial or religious ground, II
Mr.. Ford's analysis Is supplemented
with suggestion that these stern folk
were not repealed by prospect Of being
able to cram their religion down the
throats OF tho bog dwelling "Iri shes"
Is not every Scotch lrishman's life
a battle-ground in the endless war
fare between Scotch harshness and
Irish geniality?
Events of a kind that make or
break character" says the historian,
came hard and fast in Ulster" So
far as they belong To Irish history he
means 10 disregard them, but they
had another aspect. determination
of that "SCotch-Irish" character"
which flowed in "A sharp banked
stream into tho American cistern and
which, finely Americanized. remained
for So long a distinctly recognizab pie
element in the mixture.
Prof, Ford brings out forcefullv the
fact that migration across the Allan
tic, most active In the years l7l4-oO,
was not a hastily conceived e~xpedicnt,
but had long been thought OF as a
measure Of relief in case OF conditions
in Ulster becoming too hard. The
"plantation' of Ulster was practically
- Nv WIN may VI A1leTlCt-
In 1885, when the Presbyterian min
lSters Of Ulster were oppressed by
Strafford's vigorous measures against
ron-confnrmity, a ship called the
r!ag'e Wing '1fter Exodus, XIX - was
built and voyaged with a company OF
40 persons halfway to New England
when bad weather caused the leaders
TO decide upon turning back.
But 1t was not religious persecution
alone hat turned the scotch Irish "a
New England. That motive was
subordinate To the quest for economi,
rolief, English misrule stranglod
Irish industry, Irish woollen good
were taAod ~ Of existence, and ,
forts 20 build up thc manufacture a
linen met with almost equally fata.
opposition al he hands of English
competitors, The clergy did, how
ever, take the lead in organizing ant
conducting tho cY%pediuouS, and, al,
though there hdd boon scotch -Irisi
settlers /" Hrrylaui hcfurc 1850
Puritan s%yImpathics naturally deter,
mined the direction of the exodus r
favor Of TIN" Northern colonies. Ar
thur Young remarked: "Mcu who
cmleratc are, from the uaturn of IN,
circumstances, ~, Most active. hardy
daring. hoii ard rcsulutr spirits. an,
probably the most ~mISChicNUus also
A1nl nnl Z HlAn thn .sltIp.1 .l-aa