Evening star., 1940-03-17

and the Constitution Of the United
6tates!-and it is not likely there
ever will be. And today, the ami
versary Of the great Irish saint, the
shamrock will be q conspicuous
badge of the Irish residents Of
Washington and those descended
from Irish ancestors, whose FORE
bears helped in the struggle to es-
tablsh this great democracy, under
the leadership of Gen. Washington.
Indeed, the first general officer in
the American Army. in charge of
troops, to make the supreme sacri-
flee for his country during the Rev.
olutionary War was an Irishman-
Brig. Gen Richard Montgomery,
born in Dublin December 2, 1876.
He was the son of Thomas Mont
gomery of Convoy House, whose
other children included Alexander,
John and daughter who married
Lord Ranelagh.
Gen. Richard Montgomery, for
whom was named Montgomery
County, Md, served first in the Brit
ish Army, commission having been
obtained for him in 1854, when he
was but 18 years Of age.
Gave Up Kings Service.
Subsequently. however, he de-
cided to abandon the Kings serv-
ice and accordingly, in 1772, sold
his commission and in January,
1773, arrived in New York, where
he purchased a farm.
It was here that he either became
acquainted with or renewed the ac-
Quaintance with the Clermont
branch of the Livingston family. We
know that it was in the following
July that he married the eldest
daughter of Robert r. Livingston,
then one of the judges of the Supe-
rior Court of the province, but chan
cellor of the State of New York
when he administered the oath of
off1ce to President Washington,
April 80, 1889.
When Montgomery was appointed
an officer in the Continental Army
he accepted it as duty he felt he
owed to his adopted country, and,
like many other capable Irishmen,
gave the cause his whole hearted
support. In letter which he wrote
to friend soon after his selection
he said:
"The Congress having done me
the honor of electing me q brigadier
general in their service, it is an
event which must put an end for a
while, perhaps forever, to the quiet
scheme Of life I had prescribed for
myself, for, though entirely unex-
pected and undesired by me, the will
Of an oppressed people, compelled
to choose between liberty and
slavery, must be obeyed."
And since the days Of Gen. Mont
gomery, wherever the Stars and
Stripes have gone, so have gone the
Irish citizens Of America into all of
our wars, and on every battlefield
where our troops have been en-
gagged they, too, have sacrificed their
lives for the maintenance of Ameri-
can freedom and American prin-
ciples.
Numerous Here.
The Irish have always been nu-
merous and prominent in Washing
ton, and as early as two years after
the Capital was moved here we find
'the sons Of Hibernia" parading on
March II, 1902, with shamrocks in
their hats.
A few years later D. B. Warden |
describes the laboring class of the
city as being mainly Irish, which |
was not only true, but some Of the
more prominent people were also of
this race, notably James Hoban, the |
Dublin architect, who designed and |
built the White House, and in doing |
SO transported bit Of Irish archi-
lecture here in the form Of the |
palace of the Duke of Leinster, |
which it resembles. When the Brit |
ish burned the White House In 1914,
Mr.. Hoban was called upon to re-
store it, and at times he was also
employed as superintendent in con-
structing the Capitol Building.
OF the various Catholic societies
In Washington half century and
more ago, the Hibernian societies
were the most enthusiastic when 1t
came to celebrating the natal day Of
Irelands patron saint AS has been
stated, members of this body have
been In Washington from the very
beginning of the city, but the first
forming Of a local society did not
take place until 1918, and in 1881
this organization was called the
Washington City Hibernian Benevo-
lent Society No. ! and was holding
its meetings in Association Hall, 632
Pennsylvania avenue, where now Is
located the Apex Building, which
houses the Federal Trade Commis-
sion.
Hibernian Branches.
Besides Society No. l, there were
in the District at this latter date i've
other branches of the Hibernians,
one meeting in Cosmopolitan Hall,
corner of Eighth and E streets
Northwest: one in the Southeast
section, at Third and Pennsylvania
avenue; another at st. Josephs Hall,
Fifth and H streets, while the West
End Hibernian Society met at Nine
teenth street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue., and the Georgetown Hibernian
Benevolent Society met at Thirty
third and Prospect streets.
Meeting in the Cosmopolitan Hall
In 1881 were also the Knights Of st.
Patrick, q beneficial organization
composed Of persons Of Irish birth
or lineage. It was incorporated in
1871. And there were Junior Knights
Of st. Patrick that met ct New
Jersey avenue and @ street, and
st. Patrick's Total Abstinence Be-
nevolent Society that met in st.
Patrick'S Church.
The temperance movement In the
old days was non-sectarian and
non-political, many clergymen IN
the city taking an active part.
Father Matthew, Father Walter and
Msgr. Mackin were of those repre-
senting the Roman Catholic faith,