The Irish standard., 1919-03-01
ACKNOWLEDGED HELP OF
IRELAND IN ST. PATRICK'S
DAY ORDER.

That General Washington fully appreciated the
services and sympathy of the Irish people during the
struggle of the Revolution to wrest America from
British domination is attested in many historical
documents of that critical time One of these which
has been recently brought to light, is military
order Of the day issued by Washington, March TO-
1880, from his headquarters at Morristown ~ j..
relating to the observance of ST. Patrck's Day of
that year. The original order is on file in the War
Department, and reads:
"'That Gen congratuates the Army on the very
interesting Proceeding of the Parliament of Ireland,
and the Inhabitants of that Country, which have
lately been communicated, not only they appear
calculated to those heavy and tyranncal op-
Ipressions of their Trade but to restore to brave
and generous People their ancient Rights and Free
dom and by their operation to promote the cause OF
America-desirous of impressing on their minds of
the Army Transactions so important in their Nature
the Genl. directs that all Fatigue and Working
Parties cease for tomorrow the 18th, day held in
particular Regard by the People of that Nation. At
the time he orders, that mark of the Pleas
ure he feels on the occasion, he persuades himself
that the Celebration of the Day will not be attended
by the least Rioting or Disorder-The Officers to
be at their Quarters i'll Camp and the Troops of
leach State Line to be kept within their en-
lcampments."
An additional order was issued at the same time,
which contains the following:
"While the troops celebrating the bravery of
ST. Patrick i1r innocent mrth and pastime he hopes
they will not forget their worthy friends in the
Kingdom of Ireland, who, with the greatest unani-
nifty, have stepped forward in opposition to the
tyrant Great Britain and who like us determined
to die or be free"
The parole ordered for ST. Patricks Day was
Saint" and the countersgn, Patrick and Shelah,
and the day was ushered in with music and the
hoisting of American and Irish flags.
| The Father of his Country has wel-merited rep
utaton for his adherence to the truth. He did not
underestimate the vital Importance of the assistance
that America then receiving at the hands of the
Irish people, not only in the colonies but from the
Irish Parliament at Dublin of which Franklin wrote
! in grateful acknowledgment, promising that the
weight of American influence would be thrown into
their scale" when the opportunity offered itself.
Washington would not have declared himself for
the restoration ITO brave and generous people their
ancient rights and freedom if he did not sincerely
believe that they justly entitled to these rights
Since the time of the Revolution thousands of 9TH
items have been entered in the American national
ledger to the credit of the account of the Irish
No who is conversant with the facts of our
history will deny that the balance is overwhelmingly
in their favor It is Ire1and's time and need to
draw upon that balance in her struggle to achieve
| the status of nationhood and freedom among the
peoples of the world. She depends upon this great
j Republic to come to her support at the Paris
Conference, wherein her destiny is to be decided,
even as have stood sponsors for the Poles, the
Czecho-Slavs, the Jugo-Slavs and the other sub
merged nations that are enjoying the benedic-
tions of freedom. Can consistently and conscen-
tiously withhold our sympathy and good Offices
from people whose contributions to re-
demption and preservation written profusely in
every chapter of our history?
THE IRISH DELEGATIONS CLEVER ADJ
VANCE AGENT, "sEAN ocEALL1GH"
j Using his name in its original Gaelic form as a
war camouAage, "Sean O'Cealligh" succeeded in
procuring British passport and is in Paris as