colonists of New Hampshire, and in looks, gesture, wit, and brogue was as Irish as if he had been reared in Cork. Daniel Webster used to imitate, with great unction, Stark's voice. One of the oldest revolutionary generals, Stark fought at Bunker's Hill, at Trenton, at Princeton, and at Bennington, where he achieved great renown.

Besides these, there were many other Irishmen who fought with distinction in subordinate places, and it was their example, doubtless, which led to the enlistment of the Irish emigrants in the ranks. One thing is certain, that the part played by the Irish in the war of American independence was far more important than has hitherto been fully acknowledged. The French armies which co-operated with the American forces contained many thousands of Irishmen, and the second in command of the besieging force defeated at Savannah was no other than Count Arthur Dillon, who had brought with him his own Irish regiment which he had commanded in France.

At last success crowned the efforts of Washington, and the surrender of Cornwallis extinguished the last hopes of the British armies in America. The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick once more took to eating, drinking, and joviality, and a series of brilliant entertainments were given. General Washington had now become

acquainted with the talents and energy and material assistance of the members of the society on many a hard-fought field, and by the substantial evidence of £ s. d., and accordingly he soon showed his appreciation of their services. The society met on December 17, 1781, and "his Excellency General Washington was unanimously adopted a member of the society." Not only did the "father of his country" accept the proffered honour, but also an invitation to dinner, at which were present the bravest and most distinguished generals of the allied armies of America and France Generals Lincoln, Howe, Moultrie, Knox, Hand, McIntosh, and Baron Steuben; Colonels Washington, Smith, Tilghman, Count Dillon and Count de la Touche, Stewart, Blaine, Johnstone, Morris, Meredith, and Hill.

Thus was completed the acknowledgment of the public services rendered to America by the Irish colonists and their sons.

When the Declaration of Independence was signed in the old hall in Philadelphia, there were at least nine men of Irish birth, or Irish descent, who put their names to that remarkable document. If you step into Independence Hall in Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, and look on the pictures that chequer the quaint square apartment upheld by its four slender pillars, you can see some of their portraits.

The light falls full upon the wall opposite the identical little old-fashioned table where the Declaration was signed. Here is Charles Carroll, of Carrollton, a grey-haired, high-bred old gentleman, his delicately cut aquiline nose, high-bred forehead, and well-moulded jaw denoting blue blood and good ancestry. Near his portrait is that of General Montgomery, in blue uniform and yellow facings, lace ruffles, black stock, and epaulettes. Another signer is Thomas Lynch, junior, whose boyish face, beautiful eyes, and powdered head, have been done full justice to by some French artist. Here, too, are portraits of George Reed, George Taylor, Edward Rutledge, Matthew Thornton, Thomas McKean, James Smith, John Nixon, all signers of the Declaration of Independence, and all Irish colonists or descendants of Irish colonists. With these men at his back in the very outset of the struggle, and with the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick to aid him in arms in days of doubt and peril, we can well believe Washington gladly accepted an opportunity of doing honour to a race that had done such deeds and given such hostages to fortune as the American Irish of his own day.

IRISH EMIGRATION AND STATISTICS.

PRIOR to 1819, the progress and extent of immigration is determined only by such meagre evidence as statisticians of that period possessed, and by the relations then existing between the United States and the countries from which persons emigrated. Authentic official information there was none.

As was natural, the current of migration commenced its flow from England, Ireland, and Scotland, and from Germany through the French and British ports. It was subject, as we shall see from time to time, to many fluctuations, but continued uniformly, as a rule, up to 1806. In that year Mr. Samuel Blodget, an American statistician* of research and accuracy, wrote that "from the best records and estimates at present attainable," the immigrants

*"History of Immigration to the United States from 1819 to 1855," by W. J. Bromwell. New York, 1856.

arriving in America did not average for the ten years from 1784 to 1794, more than four thousand per

annum.

During 1794, ten thousand were estimated to have arrived in the United States from foreign countries (see Cooper's "Information respecting America ").

From 1806 to 1816, the unfriendly relations of Great Britain, France, and America precluded immigration altogether.

England maintained the doctrine (and enforced it for some time), "a man once a subject always a subject." This deterred many emigrants from venturing their luck in a new country. Numbers had gone to America to enter the American merchant service, and many more still might have gone whom the fear of British impressment frightened from their design. In 1806 England issued a decree declaring the coasts of France in a state of blockade, and the French retaliated in like manner. To these restrictions on commerce, and consequently on the unobstructed passage from Europe, succeeded the British Orders in Council, and the Milan decree of Napoleon. In March, 1809, the United States law was passed prohibiting for a year intercourse with Great Britain and France. In 1810 the Napoleonic decrees were annulled, and the commerce of the United States in 1811 had fairly commenced, only to see her vessels