440
AN GAODHAL.
J Heally.
Neb. J. M. Hickey,
N. C. Brother P Cassidy.
N J, J O'Donovan, per P C Gray. J Coleman
H O'Callaghan, D Coleman, per J Coleman.
N Y. F L O Rœhrig, J J Burke, M J Sulli¬
van, J Clyne, J Carroll, T O'Driscoll, J Ma¬
govern, T Young, P Fleming, P Fahey, J Walsh
J Sheridan, [and many others per E O'Keeffe, but
cannot at present lay our hands on the list ] P M
Cassidy, P S Graham, T Curden, Miss Guiren
D Gilgannon, P K O'Mahoney, P O'Mahoney,
J Kyne, T F Wynne, J V Mahedy, M Crane,
Mr. Rouse, J Gallagher, Father O'Callaghan, F
Gallagher, Mr. Dougherty, P Leydon J Byrnes,
Mr, Crane
Ohio M J Collins, Wm. Seehan, per M J
Collins, J Goldrick.
Pa Miss Sheridan, Miss McSorley. Rev. M A
Bunce, J Manahan, T McEniry, P F Murphy,
Miss O'Leary and Miss O'Connor per Mr. Mc¬
Eniry, M A Weaver, T J Madigan, P M Walsh
Tex P Noonan.
Va T Kelly.
Vt E Ryan.
Wis D O'Sheridan,
Wyo Ter. P Cronin.
Ireland — Father Mulcahy, Antrim, T Lynch,
M Darcey, Tip,, A McCann, Antim, F D Mc¬
Cann, Mobile, Ala. Mr. Manihan from board the
ship, U S S, Queenberry, has sent for. — M Cot¬
ter, W Mahoney, J Sherwin, J Leahey, and J
Nyhan. He says they have formed a Gaelic class
there, and called it "The Thomas Davis Irish-A¬
merican Philo-Celtic Society." Our friend. Con.
desires to be remembered to all his old asso¬
ciates of the Brooklyn Philo-Celtic Society.
Mr. Ward, of Belfast, sent two American Green¬
backs for himself and the Rev. Mr. Gordon.
The Sons of St. Nicholas, a bon ton German-A¬
merican society which counts among its members
the elite of all nationalities, had its annual dinner
a few evenings ago. Ex-Mayor Hunter, the presi¬
dent, remarked that, as he was not able to speak
Dutch, he could not respond to the toast of the ev¬
ening, and called on Tunis G. Bergen to do so.
Mr. Bergen having, as was customary, responded
in ancient Dutch, said, — "In deference to the Yan¬
kees present — who never understand any language
except their own — but not the Irishmen — who un¬
derstand every language except their own — I trans¬
late what I have said as follows." &c.
Is comment necessary?
The Irishman who attended that banquet and
who is ignorant of his native language should not
be present at any similar gathering until he ac¬
quires some knowledge of it. The Irishman, igno¬
rant of his language and presumptiously mis-rep¬
resenting his element, is a National fraud. We
tell Mr. Bergen that there are many honorable ex¬
ceptions to his cutting rebuke, and that all Irish¬
men cannot be put on a par with those manly ban¬
queters who sat beside him and allowed them¬
selves to be slured without even the flimsy excuse
of, "I was not taught it." Mr. James M. Shana¬
han, Drs. Bodkin and Griffin, Mr. E. O'Rorke,
Mr Daniel Gigannon, and scores of other repres¬
entative (the only representative] Irishmen cultiv¬
ate their language,
We are sure the Irishmen present understood
the full force of the compliment paid to them.
Will they join their brethen who are now trying
to put it out of any burly Dutchman's power to
sneer at them for their want of patriotism, or will
they prefer to remain the butt of wit, humor and
sarcasm, and theatrical buffoonery?
There is no sneer so galling as that which is
founded on fact. The Dutchman "Hit the nail
square on the head," and our witty countrymen of
the legal profession present sung dumb, though we
often knew them to crack a joke at the expense of
some other Dutchman. As the saying is, He shut
them up.
Irishmen, view yourselves as other peoples see
you — and you have a keen specimen now before
you. Study your language; cultivate its literature
and do not leave it in any man's power to point
the finger of scorn at you, And you, members of
the Society of Ireland's National Saint — Patrick,
will you be taught a lesson by your Teutonic neigh¬
bors? And you, aggressively patriotic Irishmen,
can you comprehend how the men of other nations
view you? Ask Mr. Tunis G. Bergen, the Dutch¬
man. You, readers, circulate the GAEL and there¬
by show up those who are a disgrace to your na¬
tionality.
As may be seen elsewhere in the Gael, we have
devoted considerable space to the Gaelic idyl, or
operatta, composed and brought out by our New
York friends of The Society for the Preservation
of the Irish Language. It is one of the best of its
kind ever produced on any stage, or before any
audience: pure, chaste, and patriotic; and, being
in the language of Erin, one would think that
mere curiosity in the Irish element should ensure
a crowded house! No such thing. However, we
think our friends made a big mistake in prepar¬
ing, at considerable expense, an opera, which is
fit to be produced before royalty, until they had
educated their countrymen in the principles of
self-respect. But, our friends have done their du¬
ty, though it was "Throwing peral after swine."
The operatta is one of the best-written Gaelic
pieces which has come under our notice in a long
time. It is in the natural language of the day —
an excellent reading matter for our Gaelic stud¬
ents.
Twelve years' ago the Irish Language seemed
to be a relic of the past, yet, through the exertion
of a small number of persons, it has, the first time
in three centuries, been presented to the public
in its pristine purity, in operatic form, in the City
of New York. So much for the Movement for the
Preservation of the Irish Language.
We, being the initiator of that movement in
this country, feel some pride in the result. Will
not the friends of the Gaelic Cause throughout the
