The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1920-01-23
ELOQUENT EULOCY On
IRELAND AND IRISH PEOPLE

cratic member of congress from Ohio
With no Irish blood in his veins, in a
recent spirited address in congress,
eulogized the Irish in manner which
ELECTED great deal of admiration.
AS fighters they have Few equals
and no superiors. They are red-blood-
ed from tip to toe.
In all American wars they have
shown conspicuous bravery.
Congressman Sherwood said:
Ireland has been struggling for au-
tonomy and independence for over
20 years. Ireland is a continental
island surrounded on all sides by seas
and oceans, and is separated from
England by the wide Irish Sea. Hence
there can be no dispute over bounda-
ries. In a wide war to make the
world safe for democracy, Ireland
should have serious consideration.
The Ihish are homogeneous people,
and no other people in either Europe
or Asia or the western continent has
ever made such constant and endur-
ing struggle for autonomy and indie
pendence as the Irish race. They
hold the undisputed world record for
long continued consistency and courage
Let us not forget that Irish patriots
bore an important part in all the
struggles of the thirteen American
Colonies for independence. Irish blood
was shed on every battle field of the
Seven Years War. The first bold
utterance Gives me liberty or give
me death" was the Irish voice of Pat
rick Henry, the most inspiring, all
pervading, and potent of all patriot
voices of the epoch.
The first general officer killed in
the War of the Revolution was Maj.
Gen. Richard Montgomery, born in
Donegal, Ireland The first Com.
mander of the American Nevy was
John Barry, born in County Wexford,
Ireland. Let us not forget that it was
Maurice O'Brien, born in Cork, Ire
land, whose five sons, hearing of the
Battle of Lexington, struck the first
blow on water for Independence
May IL, 1775-by capturing a British
armed schooner. John Hancock, first
singner of the Declaration of Indepen.
dence, and twice President of the
Continental Congress, was the des-
cendent of an Irish emigrant from
Ulster. He not only pledged his life
and his fortune to the cause. some
100000. Charles Thompson, Secre-
tary of the Continental Congress, who
made the first copy of the Declare
ton of independence, was born in
county Derry, Ireland. John Nixon,
whose father was born in County
Waxford, Ireland, first read the Decla-
ration in public from the steps of the
Statehouse in Philadelphia, July 8,
1776.
Among the signers of the Declare
ton In public We're full-bred Irish
man-John Hart, New Jersey. whose
father and mother came from Ire.
land; James Smith, of Pennsylvania.
born in Ireland; George Taylor, of
pennsylvania, born in Ireland:
George Reed, of Delaware, son OF
john Reed, was born in Dublin:
Thomas Mexican, of Delaware, whose
father and mother were born in Ire
land; Charles Carroll, grandson of
Charles Carroll, of Ireland, who came
TO Amarica in 1853; Edward Rutledge,
OF South Carolina, grandson of Thorn.
as Lynch, native of Galway. Ireland:
Robert Treat Paine, son of Robert
o'Neill, born in Ireland, who changed
mis- name to Paine when he emigrated
to the American Colonies.
And, lest we forget it is quite in.
teresting to know that there were As
iall-bred Irishmen in Col. George
'Washington's regiment of Virginia
militia in 1854. Nearly all afterwards
served in the Continental Army of the
american Revolution. 1t was Gen.
Suiiivan's brigade of Irishmen who
manned the guns on Dorchester
Heights, Boston, that day, ever me.
morabie in heroic history-March II,
16S-when the British Army, under
Lord Howe, evacuated Boston. And
when Lord Howe's army sailed past
governors Island an Irish shout went
up from Irish threats on Dorchester
Heights that made that day one of
the most memorable in our history.
Gen. Sullivan was the son of Owen
Sullivan, born in Limerick, Island.
Gen. WASHINGTON made "Ct patr;ol,,