A reception and banquet under the auspices of the Society took place at
the Hotel Bellevue, Beacon street, Boston, Mass., on Wednesday evening,
Nov. 15, 1899.
It was a very pleasant occasion, and fully equal in point of interest to
previous events of the organization.
The reception lasted from 7 to 8 p. m., and the party then formed in
line and marched to the dining hall.
Grace was said by Rev. James J. O’Brien, of Somerville, Mass., a son of
the late Mayor O’Brien of Boston. Among those at the table were the
following:
From Boston: Hon. Thomas J. Gargan, who presided; Hon. Patrick A.
Collins, Judge Burke of the Municipal Court, Thomas B. Fitzpatrick,
Edmund Reardon, William Doogue, Joseph P. Flatley, Patrick M. Keating,
George F. McKellegett, James Jeffrey Roche, J. E. Reardon, Martin Fay,
Bernard Corr, Michael J. Ward, M. A. Toland, James H. Devlin, James H.
Devlin, Jr., Peter B. Corbett, N. D. Corbett, Michael McManus, John
Shea, George E. Lynch and several others.
From other places there were present: Hon. John C. Linehan, Concord, N.
H.; Thomas Hamilton Murray, Woonsocket, R. I.; Eneas Smyth and James B.
Hand, Brookline, Mass.; James F. Brennan, Peterborough, N. H.; Joseph
Smith, Lowell, Mass.; Dr. M. F. Kelly, Fall River, Mass.; John Hayes,
Manchester, N. H.; John T. F. Mac Donnell and John A. Mac Donnell,
Holyoke, Mass.; W. J. Kelly, Kittery, Me.; John H. H. McNamee,
Cambridge, Mass.; Thomas F. O’Malley, Somerville, Mass., and Timothy
Donovan, Lynn, Mass.
William Ludwig, the celebrated Irish baritone, was present, as the guest
of Thomas B. Fitzpatrick, and rendered several vocal selections during
the evening.
The opening address of the post-prandial exercises was by
President-General Gargan. In the course of his remarks he said: “As you
are well aware the cost of collecting material and publishing is not
small; may I not urge upon every member present to help in the important
work in which we are engaged, and if you feel you cannot afford to
contribute to our publishing fund, get at least one new member to join
our Society. We belong to a race that has contributed to the glory of
almost every nation. Here in this republic we are not subjects but
citizens, either by birth or adoption, with all that title means. We are
part of its life and history, and we will be unfaithful to the history
and traditions of our fathers if we do not endeavor to preserve in
lasting memorials the story of who they were and what they did in the
building of this great Republic.”
Mr. Gargan called attention to the fact that on Dec. 14, 1899, occurs
the centenary of the death of George Washington, for whom, he said, we
still feel an affection and an awful reverence, notwithstanding the
imperial policy of the government at Washington, which continues
dangling with foreign alliances. Mr. Gargan requested the Society to
coöperate with other historical associations in commemorating the event.
The paper of the evening was by Michael E. Hennessy, of the Boston
_Daily Globe_, his topic being: “Men of Irish blood who have attained
eminence in American journalism.” It was an able effort, showing much
research.
Joseph Smith, of Lowell, Mass., spoke entertainingly, and then offered
the following resolutions, which were adopted:
WHEREAS, The American-Irish Historical Society, a body representing
all phases of religious and political opinions among members of the
Irish race in this Republic, deems it its duty to reaffirm its faith
in the principles of free self-government, and in God’s Commandment,
“Thou shalt not steal,” and
WHEREAS, Freedom and honesty are the basis of all pure
self-government, and any injury to them in any part of the world
must in the end be an injury to this Republic and its citizens; be
it
_Resolved_, That this Society send greeting and sympathy to the
embattled farmers of the South African republics; that we express
admiration for the courage, faith, and manhood of a race which has
thrown down the gage of battle to a rich and powerful aggressor to
maintain its freedom; and that it is our earnest prayer that the God
of the weak, the righteous, and the brave may crown their heroic
struggles with glorious victory and political independence.
_Resolved_, That any government which has entered upon a project to
plunder and destroy two free republics is unfit to be allied to a
nation whose basic principles are thus violated, and such alliance,
political or moral, would make this Republic a confederate to the
infamies thus perpetrated.
_Resolved_, That the American-Irish Historical Society is inflexibly
opposed to any entangling foreign alliances, and particularly to any
alliance between the United States and the government of England,
which has so frequently sought by war and intrigue to destroy this
Republic, and it pledges itself, through its membership, to strive
to curtail the political career of any public official, who
formulates, advocates, counsels, aids, or abets any such alliance.
_Resolved_, That copies of these resolutions be sent to the
representatives of the South African republics in this country, and
to such other persons as the secretary may deem expedient, connected
with the executive and senate of the United States.
Hon. Patrick A. Collins was called upon and greeted as “the next mayor
of Boston.” He said: “I came here to-night because this is a
non-partisan gathering. Its object is the rescuing of the truth of
history in this country. It is now not unpopular or unfashionable to be
known as a man of Irish lineage or to bear the name of Patrick or
Michael. There was a time within our memory when it meant condemnation
to servility or obscurity. We have leavened the lump of Puritanism.”
After further interesting exercises the festivities were brought to a
close.