Evening star., 1949-08-30
Lord Stirling Shown to Have Been
Scottish and Not English


To the Editor Of The Star
It Is the height of the ridiculous, perhaps.
for any newspaper reader to take the comic
section seriously, yet not infrequently does
one read dissertations to the editor critical
of the political and economic implication
of Orphan Annie's bias against the welfare
state" and her theories that 1.-The power to
tax is the power to destroy" Though the
comic strip in modern journalism has no
longer the status of dubious stepchild.
that the newspaper should assume responsl-
bility for cartoonists' philosophy OF life or
accuracy of fact has not been clearly estab-
lished, legally or ethically.
Tuesday evening the daily quiz question,
a feature of American Adventure" was
What English Earl fought for American
independence" The proper answer probably
should have been none, yet on wednesday
evening we were Illuminated with the clarl-
flcation if it could be dignified by such
a term by the answer: William Alexander,
American-bo Earl of Stirling, was major
general in the Revolution" Now If the gen.
eral were American-born, he wasn't English.
and If he were the Earl of Stirling, 1t was
impossible that he should be other than
Scottish nobleman, for Stirling, the county
seat of Stirlingshire is 20 miles northeast
Of Glasgow. To designate a Scot or an
American by the title Of 'Englishman is
analogous to embarrassing an Engishman
by addressing him publicly as French
Canadian Cor until modern times as an
Irishman or Hindu. They may be alike
Britons. but with a difference that cuts
deeply into the sensitive spot of national
pride. T. S. T. Henderson pointed out this
fact admirably in letter to the editor OF
The Star on July 7 in connection with
reference to Isobel Baillie as English. AS
he says, ". to confuse any one of the
individual members Of that unity (the Brit
ish Commonwealth with any other is as
incorrect, and also as irritating as it would
be to call a Texan New Yorker simply
because he is also an American. :" There
are explosive possibilities in the loose appli-
cation of nomenclature.
Lord Stirling, as he was consistently re-
ferred to by General George Washington,
was heroic character in whom Americans
and Scots alike may justifiably take pride.
1t should not be forgotten that both he and
Washington were born under the British
flag, one in New York and the other in
Virginia, crown colonies alike, but it would
be slightly nonsensical to refer to Washing
ton as an Englishman other than in ances-
tral antecedents. Lord Stirling was not Eng
lish even in this sense.
His Father Jacobite.
His father James Alexander was states
man and a patriot in his own right, who
had been born in Scotland and who as
Jacobite had migrated to America after serv-
ing with distinction during the Rebellion of
IT'S. James Alexander and supposedly an
other Scot. Andrew Hamilton. designer of
independence Hall and then practicing law
in Philadelphia, were two of the defense
attorneys OF Peter Zenger in the first Sue
cessful effort to establish the freedom of the
press in America. Alexanders reward for
championing journalistic freedom from poll
tical control was charge Of contempt and
disbarment from practice of his profession
for two years. It is interesting to note that
he was not admitted to the bar until the
same day he was made attorney general Of
New Jersey.
According to the invariably dependable
Dictionary of American Biography, the orig
inal Sir William Alexander from whose fam
lily Lord Stirling claimed descent was court
poet and favorite of James I of England
(James vi of Scotland) from whom he re-
ceived an extensive grant OF land in North
America. The grant. afterward enlarged. in
cluded Nova Scotia. Long Island, and large
part of Canada, but was never carried into
effect. Sir William was created Earl OF
Stirling and the peerage in direct hereditary
line became extinct with the death OF the
nth Earl in 1899. William Alexander ac-
companied Governor Shirley to England af-
ter serving Shirley first as commissary and
then as aid-de-camp at the beginning OF the
French and Indian War; During this visit
Alexander in an attempt to establish claim
as sixth Earl Of Stirling spent much time
and money. Chiefly on the deposition Of
two old men, who affirmed, his descent from
John Alexander uncle of the first earl.
jury at Edinburgh, on the 29th March 1859,
served him male-heir of Henry, fifth Earl
of Stirling" (Charles Rogers. Memorials of
the Earl of Stirling, 1877, I, 1922. THE
memorial was :. RENTED to the House OF
Lords. On the 10th March 1862. the Lords
Committee of Privileges resolved that he had
not established his claim" ubid., I, 283). In
the meantime, the year previous, Alexander
had returned to America, assuming the title
Lord Stirling on the strength of the Edin-
burgh decision.
Service Record Outlined.
He became brigadier- general, and later
became major general, fought in the battles
of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, German
town and especially distinguished himself at
Monmouth. He took an active part in expos
ing the Conway Cabal, presided over the court
martial of Gen. Charles Lee and enjoyed
the confidence of washington to remark
able degree. Lord Stirling is characterized
as soldierly in bearing, brave, intelligent,
energetic and yet cautious, an excellent Or
ganizer and military engineer.
In these days when slovenly scholarship
is inexcusable, some insistence should be
placed upon accuracy of information. Even
comic strip artists can make their contribu
tion~and render public service by check
ing few elemental facts.
ROBERT D. BRINKER,
Historian, st. Andrews Society of
Washington (Scottish).
Public Economy Visualized
As Great Political Issue
To the Editor Of The Star:
The writer has observed and written
about politics for over so years. With this
experience and background to fortify my
opinion, do not share the gloomy forecasts
of some of my Republican contemporaries
as to the future of the Republican party.
I do think it unfortunate that party man
agement appears centralized in the East to