Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-03-18

to the nearness of their country to
England. But no admonition was
given to Ireland to moderate their
ardor In the cause of America. In
stead the following letter was sent
to Ireland by Congress-. I'VE are
desirous of the good opinion Of the
vfrtuous and humane. We are pc
cultarly DESTROYS of furnishing you
with the true state OF our motives
and objects; the better to enable you
to Judge OF our conduct with accu-
racy and determine the merits of
the controversy with impartiality
and precision. Your Parliament has
done US no wrong. You have ever
been friendly to the rights of man.
kind: and we acknowledge with
pleasure and gratitude that your ma
ton has produced patriots who have
nobly distinguished themselves in
the cause OF humanity and of Amer
lea"
ireland was with America to a
man." says Pitt. the great Com
rnoner. Practically the first blow In
the Revolution was struck on behalf
of the American rebels by the son of
Limerick schoolmaster. John Sulli-
van OF New Hampshire. who cap
tured the Fort Of William and Mary
on December 18th, 1774. The first
stroke at British sea power was de-
| livered for America off Machias. on
the coast of Maine, in May. 1875, by
(, Jeremiah O'Brien.
| We see such leaders as Richard
Montgomery, Andrew Brown, Ste
phen Moylan, aide-de-camp to
Washington, and John Barry, the
Father OF the American Navy. The
sum Of $517 600 was contributed to
the Revolution by the Friendly Sons
OF st. Patrick, and this was indeed
a large sum In those days.
! The famous Pennsylvania Line,
! the bulwark of the American de-
Tense. was called THE Line of Ire
land" so largely was it formed of
Irishmen. They were everywhere,
. as we see in the remarks of Hon.
Luke Gardiner before the English
House of Commons: II am assured
from the best authority that the ma
jor portion of the American Army
| was composed of Irish and that the
Irish language was as commonly
spoken In the ranks as English.
am also informed that 1t was their
valor determined the contest, so that
! England had America detached from
her by force of Irish immigrants"
Major General Robertson testified
t1uder oath that Half the rebel
, army were from Ireland"
Tho Irish died on the field, Ian
guished in British prison-hulks in
the harbor Of New York. lived
manned, and were branded traitors,
! that America should be free. No
/ tice the names OF those who signed
| the Declaration of Independence:
Smith. Taylor and Thornton of
! Irish birth,
Mexican. Read, and Routledge of
Irish parentage.
Carroll and Lynch, grandsons of
Ireland,
Hancock and Whippe of Irish de-
! scent.
Well might George Washington
Parke. Gusts. the adopted son of the
Father of the United States. say:
THE shamrock should be entwined
with the laurels of the Revolution.
Americans. recall to your minds the
recollections OF this heroic time
when Irishmen were your friends,
and when in the whole world we
had not friend beside. The rank
grass had grown over the grave Of
, many poor Irishman who had died
for America, ere the flag of the lilies
foated In the field by the Star
Spangled Banner"
Consider how Ireland had to suffer
for daring to help an enemy OF the
, British Empire. Americas freedom
was the cause of much blOodshed in
the Emerald Isle. so much so that
William Dean Howells. a friend of
England, publicly protested that
! mercy was still the attribute Of JUS
tice.
Should then the Irish have no
sympathy in America? Should we
criticize this country for trying to
get just what we succeeded in get
ting in '76? Surely we cannot deny
them that right which Thomas JEFF
ferson said. Everyone may govern
itself according to what form 1t
pleases and change those forms Mt
its own will, and that 1t may trans
act its business with foreign nations
, through whatever organ 1T thinks
proper, whether King. Convention,
Assembly, Committee. President or
anything else 1t may choose. The
will of the nation is the only thing
! essential to be regarded"
Is Ireland able to govern itself?
Has she ever had experience in this?
Ireland was u nation thousand
years before the Nbrmans conquered
and feudalized England: before the
Teutonic knights Germanized Prus-
STA; before Spain and Portugal
shook off the Moslem yoke; before
Holland or Belgium. or Italian
municipalities dreamed Of national
| aspiration; and before Magyar
Bulgar. Czech or Serb. could spell
their name OF. recognize their entity.
Yes. they know how to govern
themselves and have a right to do
so. and to whom shall she look for
nssistance but IN AmeriCa whose
friend she was in time of need and
whose friend she has continued to
he. Shall we forget the words of
Franklin, IF the British Govern
ment does not take off every re-
straint on your trade. commerce and
manufactures, l am charged to as
sure you that means will be found
to establish your freedom in the
fullest and amplest manner" Shall
time obliterate the debt we owe?
Poor suffering Ireland. many times
doomed to death but always rising
again more glorious than ever, you
have fought a good fight and YOU
have always kept the faith. With
Washington. the Father of our
Country, we say to you again.
hope; your CAUSE is Identical with
mine"
Let Americans. who love liberty,
let America the home of the free,
keep warm spot in their hearts for
. that Emerald Isle. And may the
time be fast approaching when Ire
land will assume her rightful place
among nations and he what We
would all like to see her,
'aGreat. Glorious and Free.
First Flower Of the Land.