AN GAODHAL.
449
P. Ward, for his contributions in the last two
numbers of the Gael. P. D.
(We differ a little with our friend Duffy. Some of
our friends are in the liquor business and, certain¬
ly, are no bummers. They supported their Party
candidate not once thinking that their success, in
any way, would bring about the sad state of busi¬
ness which now prevails. We are a Democrat, but
no free trader. The free trade scare has reduced
the net receipts of our business by nearly a hun¬
dred dollars a month since election; we anticipated
it, yet some persons blamed us for trying to prev¬
ent it. The reader will know that the Gael or the
publication is not our business. The Gael is turn¬
ed out in our spare moments, and in moments
snatched from the ordinary hours of repose, for the
purpose of promoting the cultivation of our native
language, so as to remove the slur indelibly att¬
ached to the Irishman who neglects to do so, and
its financial success or failure does not affect us in
any way: the only difference in this regard is,
that its circulation, but not its stability, will be
largely influenced by its financial success. We
mention this because some three or four found
fault with our actions during the late campaign,
and insinuated that we should suffer financially by
the withdrawal of their support! Now, those per¬
sons who acted thus merely wanted an excuse to
cease contributing even a paltry 60 cents a year
to rescue the language of the country, which they
disgrace by calling it their own, from extinction.
[Now, with due deliberation, we reassert that the
Irishman who witnesses the Language of his coun¬
try in the throes of death in the hands of the for¬
eign executioner without lifting his hand or rais¬
ing his voice in her defense, is a disgrace to his
country, and if any three patriotic men of other
nations, say, a Frenchman, a German, and an Aust¬
rian, do not coincide with us in this characteriza¬
tion, we shall make a forfeit. Such men Mr. T.
O'N. Russell compares with oysters; we differ
with him; the oyster has no other pretension. Ed)
Mr. McCosker, of Mobile. Ala. among other
matter, writes, —
In the matter of the operata lately put on the
boards in N. Y., it is now patent before the world
that the Irish there are not educated up to a proper
appreciation of their own honor and interest, all
the organizations and all the newspapers not¬
withstanding. That failure was a burning disgrace
to our people both in and out of N. York.
In an educational point of view our people stand
in a pitiable plight to-day, although they may
know every othe body's tongue but their own. It
was humiliating, as shown in the I. W. of last
month, to see Sexton in the foreign legislature ask¬
ing the foreigner who was appointed to the Secre¬
ship of Ireland to have the history of the country
taught in the so-called National Schools, and if
not then to have that of the English enemy taught
and both were promptly denied; though all know
that to be a scholar history must be commenced
early and no school is deserving the name without
it. The English enemy's deeds being evil they
cannot bear the light, the Irish are so debased
with long slavery, 'tis hard for them to distin¬
gnish the difference. My own idea is that no edu¬
cation is better than a bad one. Their system now
is with a view to educate them our people] to be
good peelers and redcoats to go evicting, &c.
THE PHILO CELTIC SOCIETY of PHILA.
Philopatrian Hall, 211 S. 12th St.
Jan. 9th, 1885.
Dear Gaodhal, —
This society at its meeting on Sunday evening
last elected the following named persons their offi¬
ces for the ensuing year, — Thomas McEniry,
President; Patrick McFadden, Vice President:
Michael T. Roach, Treasurer: Peter F Murphy,
Rec. Secretary, Edward Meakin, Fin. Secretary;
Denis Kennedy, Cor Secretary; Mrs. L. Fox,
Librarian, and Maurice Pigott, Sergeant-at-arms.
The following named persons were also elected
members of the Council, — Rev. James A, Breho¬
ny, John Farrell, Joseph Murphy, Thomas
McGowan, N. F. Glenn. Daniel Gallagher, Miss
Lizzy McSorly, Miss Lotta Sheridan, Miss Ellen
O'Connor, Miss Mary Mahoney, Miss Ellen O'Lea¬
ry, and Mrs. Mary M. Powers,
14 months ago, dear Gael, this society was on¬
ly a class of 10 or 12 persons. It is to-day a char¬
tered society, having a membership of 150. Its
classes are well attended and its prospects good.
Within the last three months it has purchased of
Gill & Son, Dublin, a splendid and varied collect¬
ion of Irish publications, and other parties a rare
and valuable number of Irish works, some of
which were printed as far back as 208 years ago.
The society is now prepared to furnish their
friends in Philadelphia any book published in I¬
rish or English at publisher's price. Persons wish¬
ing to study the Irish Language will be made wel¬
come in the class rooms of the society where they
will receive instruction free of all charge.
Ever, dear Gael, yours,
THOS. McENIRY.
We are highly pleased at the progress of our
Phila. friends. What is the matter with our oth¬
er large cities, such as Chicago, St. Louis, Cincin¬
nati, Pittsburgh, etc. ? Chicago should rank next
to N, Y., yet it does not appear that the people
there have the real mettle in them. We under¬
stand that Mr. T. O'N. Russell is there. There
are also there Mr. Fitzgibbon, Mr. McDermott,
and Mr. Hagarty and Miss Gallagher, etc. If
these came together and organized they would be
able to have a good society within a year. Those
