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405
ber, twenty millions, at least, ought to be Catho¬
lics, making more than a fair allowance for Or¬
ange and Protestant immigration and descent.
Now, we are told that the whole Catholic popula¬
tion, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portu¬
guese, Irish and all, in these United States, does
not amount to twelve millions. What is the cause?
Why, a small, crazy and unnatural motive. The
people of Ireland, generally speaking, are imbued
with a slavish feeling and imagine that they are
made to pay homage to every other people, and,
consequently, they try to imitate them, that they
themselves may lose their identity and be counted
in with a people who are far inferior in race and
pedigree, So, first, off goes the language, next,
the religion and, last, not knowing nor caring to
know what they are or what they came from, the
boast of being infidels and atheists, and persecute
those who practice it. Then, it is plainly seen
that the priests and people of Ireland are causing
the loss of more souls to God, by neglecting the
study of the Irish language, than all the mission¬
aries in the world are converting. If all the Irish
people who come to this country and their des¬
cendants would speak the language of their fath¬
ers, this country would be overwhelmingly Cath¬
olic. Then, consider what an influence it would
have over the other countries of the world, for
the salvation of souls.
I have said a lot on this subject. Would to
Heaven that all our people were of my opinion.
Do all you can for the cause. It will comfort you
on your death bed to know that you have done
your duty as a good and faithful servant. I left
Killarney in May 1851, over forty-three years ago
and I love poor Ireland and her language better
every day. The battles of life in this country are
not easy, but Ireland and her dear old "best and
most correct dialect of the Keltic of old Scytia."
have every minute of time that I can spare. I
hope that you will give public expression to these
sentiments, if they can have any influence on our
dear people at home. I wish I had time to write
you more.
Yours truly,
— Thomas D. Norris.
Residence, 152 East 123rd St, N Y City.
[We take a decided exception to Capt. Norris's
characterization of Mr. Gladstone. On the floor
of the House of Representatives Bourk Cochran
represented that tariff reduction would benefit
this country. On the floor of the same House,
when the Senate Bill came up for consideration,
he vehemently declared that the Prosperity of
the Protected industries would cause a jealousy
in the unProtected industries! Which did he be¬
lieve? If the latter, when 75 per cent. of the op¬
eratives are his own countrymen and women, why
did he advocate the former? Which, then, is he
or Mr. Gladstone the greater "scoundrel?" Was
he, like the Sugar Senators, seen by the British
Minister, and tarred with the Free Trade Trust's
tar-brush? Apart from the above, the Captain's
position is unassailable.
The following letter was not sent for publica¬
tion, but it is so interesting that we publish it.
Greenfield, N Y, Sept. 4. '94.
Mr. M. J. Logan, — Please find enclosed $2. — one
for my subscription, and one for extra copies sent
I have not much to say in this letter except an
incidental chat in which I happened to take part
a few days ago, the result of which I shall briefly
state. —
I happened to be in a country post office where
several N York and Brooklyn people (who came
to spend a few weeks of the Summer at the coun¬
try resorts) were waiting for the mail which came
slowly by stage over the rough roads. Amongst
them were people of different nationalities — Irish
Scotch, German, and French, and were in clumps
talking away in different languages. Two young
ladies, I noticed in particular, made themselves
more conspicuous than the rest chatting with
some young men and an aged gentleman, evident¬
ly their father. They talked about their school¬
ing, the different languages they were studying —
Greek, French, German, etc., attracting the atten¬
tion of the by-standers with occasional hint to re¬
lative weath. I took all in but did not swallow.
I was quite amused and smiled occasionally; and
being arrayed in country garb, one of the young
lady students asked me some questions relating
to country affairs, which I answered to her entire
satisfaction. Then feeling that it was my ques¬
on next, I suavely asked the most talkative of the
young ladies to what nation of people they belong¬
ed. "Why, like yourself," said she, "we are I¬
rish, and this is my father standing by, as good
an Irishman as lives in N York City, and we are
proud of our race." "That is good, said, I, as far
as it goes, if you don't abuse that pride." "Why
do you ask that question?" said she. "Simply,"
said I, that we might enter into conversation in
our mother tongue as your neighbors are talking
in theirs." What language is that?" "The Cel¬
tic language, said I, and hearing your remarks a
few minutes ago about the different languages
you had learned, I thought a lady of such accom¬
plishments and good taste would be sure to learn
her parents' tongue first." "That's right," said
a German standing by. "But, said she, that is no
language." "I beg your pardon, Madam, said I,
it is one of the oldest and purest of languages."
"But, said she, it is not a written language." I
beg leave to refute that assertion also, said I, and
I can prove it here on the spot." "I'd like to see
it," she said. "Very well, said I, you can have
that pleasure immediately." And so, as luck
