﻿362
AN GAOḊAL.
French is still spoken, with the genuine old Nor¬
mandy accent, and with the same phraseological
peculiarities and modes of expression as were used
in the first half of the eighteenth century. In the
flourishing Catholic Laval University of Quebec
(with its high order of advanced studies, its 38 pro¬
fessors, 280 regular students, and an unlimited num¬
ber of free attendants,) the instruction in the vari¬
ous branches is still given in French. The same
applies also to many other Canadian schools of a
lower grade. Before many of the Courts of Jus¬
tice the Canadian lawyers plead in French; and in
Notre Dame, the Cathedral of Montreal, you can
hear preaching in French. A whole French liter¬
ature has developed on Canadian soil, with excel¬
lent poets, such as Frechette, Cremazie, Lemay,
Sulte, etc.; with fine novelists, such as Chauveau,
Doutre, Gerin, Lajoie, Gaspe, Boncherville, etc.;
historians, such as Ferland, Garnau and others.
There exist also quite a number of French period¬
icals and newspapers in Canada, of which I will
only mention a few that are conducted, with con¬
summate skill, in as pure and elegant language as
may be found anywhere in France. Such is the
Canadien (since 1806), the Echo de Levis, the E¬
vinement, the Journal de Quebec, the Courrier du
Canada, the Journal de l'Instruction Publique, etc.
Even deep in the interior of British North Ameri¬
ca, at Winnipeg, an excellent, well written news¬
paper, the Metis, is published and fairly support¬
ed by the French settlers and the people of French
descent scattered over that remote part of the
country. There, in the far North-West, we also
find a French literature in process of development
with its poems and ballads, of which such as the
"Battle of the Seven Oaks," the "Vicissitudes of an
Unfortunate Man," etc, are fair specimens ; not
to mention tales and stories in good French prose.
Thus, we see, the French will remain French ev¬
erywhere in America ; and it is altogether by
keeping up their own native tongue that they con¬
tinue their nationality, their history as a distinct
race, their venerable family traditions, and their
patriotic love of the old home of their forefathers
in the mother country. Why cannot the Irish in
America do at least as much as the French have
done, and are still doing, most successfully and
without any effort ?
Let us, then, now consider the Irish Language
in some of its various aspects, and see whether it
really deserves the careless indifference and neglect
which it has for so long a time received; and that,
too, at the hands of those who have it intimately
interwoven, as part and parcel of themselves, with
the very essence of their being, their nature and
their soul.
[To be continued.]
Send the Gael to your friends in the Old Coun¬
try; two copies for a year for One Dollar. Your
friends will be glad to hear from you in that way.
We see that Mr. T. O'N. Russell and others are
suggesting the necessity of holding a Gaelic Con¬
gress. We hope the suggestion will result in some
practical work. The principal difficulty in this
connection is that the majority of those who are
taking an active part in the Gaelic movement re¬
side so far apart. However, this could be over¬
come by those living at a distence sending their
sentiments in writing, so that every state and city
might be represented. The Gael's subscribers
throughout the country, we believe, compose a
majority of those actively engaged in promoting
the movement, and we would suggest that one from
each city and town act as delegate to such conven¬
tion. To avoid invidious distinction in the list of
names which follow, we give them according to
seniority on the subscription list of the Gael.
Some of these gentlemen, such as Messrs. Maher,
McCosker, Feeney, McTigh, Duggan &c. have,
through their individual exertion sent as many as
one hundred subscribers to the Gael, so that by
concerted action, such as would be the outcome of
a general convention, the Irish Language move¬
ment could be made a grand success. In those
cities where Gaelic Societies are in working order,
such as Boston, Paterson, Philadelphia, San Fran¬
cisco, Nashua, N. Y., &c. We make no suggestions
as those societies are qualified to speak for them¬
selves.
Ala. Mobile, McCosker.
Ark. Jonesboro, Scanlan.
Can. Guelph, Dr. Noonan. L'Epiphanie. Lynch
Montreal, Harrington.
Conn. New Haven, Major Maher, Fair Haven,
O'Regan. Poquonock, Treacey. Williamantic,
O'Regan. Hartford, Duggan.
Cal. Trinidad, Cross. South Pueblo, Hughes.
West Oakland, Kelleher.
Dak. Greenfield, O'Connor. Egan, McGuire.
Lead City, Clancey. Jackson, Murray.
Fla. Valusia, Mitchell.
Ia. Burlington, Sheedy. Cedar Rapids, O'Boyle.
Ill. Chicago, McDermott. Seneca, Cahill. Dekalb,
Gallagher. Amboy, Kinnane. Tremont, Veale.
Ind. Petersburg, Shay. Blomfeld, Neidhigh.
Monson, Nagle.
Kas. Laclede, O'Sullivan. St. Mary's, Fitzgerald.
Oneida, Sweeney. Homer, Lewis.
Ky. Flemingsburg, O'Brien.
La. Franklin, O'Neill. Tangipahoa, Durnin.
Centreville, Rielly.
Md. Baltimore, McDonough. Pekin, Sullivan.
Mass. Quincey, Collins. Randolph, O'Malley,
Worcester, Flynn. Holyoke, Geran. Fall Ri¬
ver, Power. Lynn, Donovan. Easthampton,
Flynn. Brookfield, Hodges. Lawrence, Griffin.
Andover Depot, Lahey. N. Brookfield, Keoh¬
one, Leeds, Kennedy. Spencer, Wheelan.
Mich. Hancock, Dr. Scallon. Detroit, Tindall.
Buchanan, Dolan.
Minn. Minneapolis, Howley:
Mo. Avalon, Rielly. Sedelia, Sullivan. St. Louis
Lyons. Liberty, O'Leary. Pierce City,
O'Brien. Fulton, Leach.
