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Louisville, Ky., May 14, 15,
16, 17, 1801.
President, Robert Bonner, New York City.
Secretary, A. C. Floyd, Columbia, Tenn.
The Congress was called to
order at 10:30 a.m. Thursday morning, May 14, in the Masonic Temple, by
President Bonner, who said:
The Congress will now come
to order. We will be led in prayer by the Rev. Dr. Hamilton, of
Louisville.
Dr. Hamilton:
Almighty God, our Father, who hath ever taught us to be careful for
nothing, but in every thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,
to make our requests known unto Thee, incline us now to seek Thee, and
teach us how to pray. We know not what is good for us, but Thou dost.
Grant unto us grace to submit ourselves to Thy will in all things. We
thank thee, O God, for Thy great goodness in bringing so many of us safe
from distant places to meet in this place. We thank Thee for light and
strength, and for work to do and the ability to do it. We thank Thee most
of all for the knowledge of Thee as our Father in Jesus Christ, as our
Guide and Protector in this world, and as our everlasting Rest and Hope in
the world beyond. We beseech Thee right deeply to bind our hearts close to
Thee, and we thank Thee for thy watchful presence over us. Grant unto all
of us that love which pass-eth all understanding, to keep our hearts and
minds pure through Christ Jesus. Let Thy blessing rest upon this meeting
which begins to-day, we beseech Thee. Let this meeting stimulate us to do
better things for Thee, O God, and our country, than we have ever done
before. Let this meeting be full of profit to ourselves, and to this
community, and the communities which we represent. Bless abundantly, we
beseech Thee, our own country. Bless the President of the United States,
and all who are joined with him in authority; all Governors of States, and
all who hold office anywhere throughout this whole land. And now, our
Father, we beseech Thee to look in tender compassion upon our infirmities;
help us to serve Thee in this life through the honor and glory of Thy
name, through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Mr. Helm Bruce then introduced Gov. Simon B.
Buckner, as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen: As on former occasions the Governors of great
commonwealths have welcomed within their borders the members of the
Scotch-Irish Society in Congress assembled, so on this occasion Kentucky
will evince a like appreciation of her distinguished guests, recognizing
the debt she owes to the brain and the brawn of the Ulster-man and his
descendants; and I am proud for my State that we have with us to-day to
deliver Kentucky's welcome one whom all Ken-tuckians delight to honor; a
man who, as the Chief Executive of the State, has known no favor; one
whose public and private life have been as pure and as spotless as the
robe of a vestal virgin; one whose career as a soldier and a civilian has
been marked by that trait which is dearest to Scotch-Irish hearts, I mean
an uncompromising fidelity to principle and an unflinching performance of
what he conceives to be his duty. Ladies and gentlemen, I have the honor
to present to you the Hon. Simon B. Buckner, Governor of Kentucky.
Governor Buckner said:
Mr. Chairman, Ladies, and Gentlemen: Less than
two centuries ago two streams of immigration coming from the old land
entered this country by way of Philadelphia and Charleston. They were a
very sturdy race of people, who stopped at no difficulties. They didn't
stop to reside in the new civilization that had already been established
at those points; but moving forward to the frontier, they sought new
fields to conquer, and, with an enterprise characteristic of their race,
they pierced both through the peninsula and the Alleghanies, and crossed
the valley into the field of Tennessee. While our country was engaged in
the contest for freedom, for liberty, this sturdy race not only
participated in that conflict; but whilst independence was achieved in the
East for this entire country, they were chiefly instrumental in conquering
an empire to add to the country. From the first settlement at Watauga,
when the frontiersmen were threatened by military advances, these sturdy
sons under Campbell and Shelby advanced into the interior of South
Carolina, and at King's Mountain hurled back the advancing tide and
returned to the point from which they had started. It has been
demonstrated that this race, justly constituting the force which conquered
this country, has added to this empire a country five times the extent of
that which it would have been but for their enterprise. It has been
demonstrated by Mr. Roosevelt, in his charming work called the "Winning of
the West," that but for this race the independence which was achieved
would have been limited to the summits of the Alleghany Mountains,
composing but a small, almost infinitesimal part of the United States. We,
in this country, Mr. Chairman, are especially grateful to this people. We
owe to their energy and their enterprise the homes which are now our happy
abodes. I esteem it a peculiar pleasure that as Governor of this
Commonwealth, which owes so much to the Scotch-Irish race, I have been
selected to extend to you a welcome to our country. It is not an enforced
hospitality; we feel that any one of Scotch-Irish descent—a descendant
from that race, akin to those to whom we owe our homes—is not only
welcomed here as a guest, but has a right to partake of the hospitalities
of our homes. I extend to you all, ladies and gentlemen, a hearty welcome
to the soil of Kentucky, and we deem it a particular favor and a special
honor that we are permitted to-day to receive you as our guests at our own
home. Mr. Bonner:
Mr. Governor: On behalf of the Scotch-Irish
Society of America, I thank you most heartily for your cordial welcome to
the good old State of Kentucky, a State which for many reasons I
especially love. Kentucky is noted the world over for three things—the
beauty and accomplishments of her daughters [applause] ; the bravery and
brains of her sons; and, what interests me particularly, if you will
permit me to refer to it, the speed and endurance of her horses
[applause]. In those respects she holds a pre-eminent position, but it is
not alone in those positions that she holds the pre-eminence. Our Kentucky
Vice-president, Dr. Hervey McDowell, of Cynthiana, assured me this morning
that there were more Scotch-Irish in Kentucky than in Ulster itself. I
only regret that some one more capable of giving expression to our
appreciation of your kindness had not been called to occupy my position. I
feel somewhat in the position of a countryman of mine. About fifty years
ago, journalism in this country was in a very primitive state. In
receiving advertisements the great consideration was the cost of setting
the type, a thing that is entirely ignored now. The first insertion was
always at an extra cost; for instance, the man to whom I refer wanted to
advertise for the position of a gardener. He asked the clerk after taking
out his advertisement what the cost would be; the clerk told him it would
be fifty cents for the first insertion, and twenty-five cents for the two
subsequent insertions. "Well," he said, "I will have it in for the two
subsequent insertions."
Now, I am somewhat in that position. I wish
that the first little address, that it is my privilege to make, could be
omitted. I know it would be a great relief to me, and I think it would be
a relief to you, so that we could come at once to the two subsequent
addresses that we are to hear.
The question is frequently put to me: "What is
the object of your Society?" And I have committed one or two thoughts to
paper in answer to that question. In the first place, I wish to emphasize
the fact that it is not our purpose to cultivate or in any way encourage
sectarian or political feeling. In all such matters we aim, as a Society,
to preserve a wise and masterly inactivity. People of all denominations
are eligible to membership. Whatever our respective opinions may be as to
either religion or politics, or however zealous we may be ill advocating
them elsewhere, we neither introduce nor discuss them here. In
corroboration of this fact, I may state that a year ago, when the Rev. Dr.
John Hall, of New York, delivered an address on "The Ulster of To-day"
before our Society at Pittsburg, the Rev. Morgan Sheedy, a Roman Catholic
priest of that city, wrote him on the following day a friendly and
appreciative note, in which he said: "Permit a stranger to you to thank
you most cordially for the words so truthfully, so honestly, and so
eloquently spoken of the people of Ireland, irrespective of geographical,
race, or religious lines."
Now as to the leading object of our Society, I
do not know of any way in which I can better illustrate it than by reading
extracts from two letters that I have recently received. The first letter
is from a lady in Hartford, Conn., who is a member of one of the most
prominent families of that city, and a niece of Commodore Perry, of Lake
Erie fame. She writes as follows:
I have always been exceedingly proud of my
Scotch-Irish blood. It goes more to the "making of men" than the blood of
any other race in the world, in my opinion. I don't believe a
Scotch-Irishman could ever imagine himself defeated in any sort of
contest—religious, mental, or physical—and he has not often been found in
that predicament. Among the sailors of New England of that blood, I beg to
mention my five uncles, brothers of my mother. Com. 0. H. Perry, of Lake
Erie fame; Capt. Raymond H. J. Perry, who commanded one of the vessels
under Com. McDonough on Lake Champlain; Com. M. C. Perry, "who crowned a
life of naval distinction and glory by opening the ports of Japan to the
commerce of the world;" Lieut. James Alexander Perry, who died at the age
of twenty. He was a midshipman at the time of the battle of Lake Erie,
wanting a little of being twelve years old; he acted as Com. Perry's aid,
was slightly wounded, and was voted a sword by Congress; is said to have
been the youngest recipient of a national sword of honor in the world. My
youngest uncle, Nathaniel Hazard Perry, a Purser in the Navy, was too
young to take any part in the war of 1812.
The second letter, which is in the same line,
is from a well-known New York lawyer, Douglass Campbell, a son of the late
Judge Campbell, of the Supreme Court of New York. After describing himself
as a Scotch-Irishman by descent, he says:
My ancestor, James Campbell, a cadet of the
House of Auchenbreck, was out in the Monmouth Rebellion with his kinsman,
the Marquis Argyle. He escaped and went to Londonderry, where he was a
Major during the famous siege. He died there, and his two sons, James and
John, went early in the next century to Londonderry, in New Hampshire.
From there they removed to Cherry Valley, New York, in 1741, forming part
of that remarkable Scotch-Irish colony which played so great a part in the
Revolution. They there built the first church, and established the first
school-house, west of the Schenectady, where English was taught.
I notice that Scotch-Irishmen always build
churches and school-houses wherever they go.
But, as I have said, the leading object of our
Society, and I think you will agree with me that it is a most laudable
one, is to bring out and place on record such facts as are given in these
letters, in order that the Scotch-Irish race may occupy their true place
in the history of the country, and that their achievements may serve as an
example and a stimulus to their children and their children's children for
all time to come. We
will now have a Scotch-Irish march arranged especially for the occasion,
by the Rogers Goshen Band, of Indiana.
Music by the band.
Mr. Bonner:
I now have the pleasure of introducing to you
a distinguished citizen of Illinois, the Hon. A. E. Stephenson, who will
speak to us on "The Bench and Bar." (See Part II., page 79.)
Mr. Bonner:
We are now to have the pleasure of listening
to Prof. George Mac-loskie, of Princeton College. (See Part II., page 95.)
Mr. Bonner:
Before we adjourn we have some announcements
to make, that will be read by Dr. Macintosh on behalf of the National
Society, and by Mr. Helm Bruce on behalf of the Local Society.
Dr. Macintosh:
We are desirous, in every way in our power, to
become united forces in this country, and we believe, that just as
Pennsylvania is the Key-stone State of the great national heart, so this
Scotch-Irish Society will become the great key-stone of that national
life. We have on the platform with us a distinguished representative of
the Presbyterian Church, the Moderator on the south side of the line, the
Rev. Dr. Bryson, to whose eloquent words we shall listen at no distant
meeting of our Congress. You will have the pleasure of listening to Dr.
Bryson this evening. I hold in my hand a letter from the Moderator of the
Presbyterian Church on the north side of the line, that has been sent to
Dr. Murphy, to whom allusion has already been made, from which letter it
is our duty, both to the Congress and to the distinguished clergyman who
sent it, to present the following extract: "If the Scotch-Irish Congress
did not come in such close proximity to the General Assembly, which claims
my entire time this year, I should be very glad to attend its meeting. I
am not a member, but I suppose I am entitled to the honor of being a
Scotch-Irishman from the very first, at least from the days of Derry.
Please give my congratulations to the Congress for their past success, and
my earnest hope for the future of the principles of civil and religious
liberty for which every true Scotch-Irishman must stand."
Well, sir, it is some consolation that if we
can't have with us the present Moderator of the General Assembly on the
north side of the line, we shall at least have with us one who could have
been the Moderator of that Assembly; I refer to my friend, Dr. John Hall,
of New York, who will speak to us this evening. I have been asked, on the
part of the Atlanta Society, to present the following telegram, which has
been forwarded from the President of that distinguished Society, which, so
far as delegation goes, is certainly the banner Society of the Congress.
The telegram reads as follows: "Tender our compliments to and express our
pride in the National Scotch-Irish Congress. Urge them to come to Atlanta
in 1892. J. N. Craig, President of the Atlanta Society."
I have to announce that a business meeting of
the enrolled members of the National Society will be held in this hall at
3 o'clock in the afternoon. In addition to the enrolled members of the
National Society, the qualified delegates from those State Societies
which, by a compliance with the Constitution and By-laws are affiliated
with this Society, will also join in this business meeting. This is a
meeting for the discussion of work and details, and cannot, of course, be
interesting to the general public, and it is, therefore, to be understood
as a private meeting; the work that is there to be conducted lies in the
administration of the Society's affairs, and preparation for our next
year's work, but I want the audience to observe that the general meeting
will be held this evening at 8 o'clock, and to notice particularly that
the evening meeting will not be held in this hall, but in the Polytechnic
Hall, Fourth Street between Green and Walnut. The Assistant Secretary will
be found by the side of that placard by the side of the Hall, on the right
hand side as I look at it, who will take memberships, furnish books, and
sign railroad certificates. You all know how important it is ' to have
your railroad certificate signed properly in order that you may avail
yourself of the reduced rate for the return trip. He will be found in the
Hall here and in the Polytechnic Hall half an hour before and after each
meeting; at other times he will be found at the Louisville Hotel. Now I
want the delegates and others to pay particular attention to the necessity
of having their railroad certificates properly signed. At previous
meetings of the Congress, as you know very well, Mr. President, there hag
been the greatest misunderstanding about that.
We want the Scotch-Irishmen and
Scotch-Irishwomen to join in our meetings of the forenoon and evening. I
have already announced the speakers for the evening; Rev. Dr. Bryson and
Rev. Dr. John Hall. There is another matter that I think it is advisable
at this point of our proceedings to call attention to—that is, to the
service that is to follow the close of the regular Congress meeting, which
will end on Saturday evening; that is to say, a religious service on the
next Lord's day. It is of some importance to make it distinctly. We are
not sectarian, but we are religious. We recognize every man's conscience
and every man's right to worship God in his own way, but we believe every
man has a conscience and that he ought to take care of it. The sermon will
be preached by Dr. John Hall—and you will find full notice in the papers
concerning this service—on next Lord's day at 8 o'clock at the Auditorium.
One word more, this Assistant Secretary, a
very important person indeed, will look after all details of whatever kind
they may be, and not our General Secretary, Mr. A. C. Floyd.
By Mr. Bonner:
Mr. Helm Bruce, Secretary of the Local
Society, has some announcement to make.
By Mr. Bruce:
Ladies and Gentlemen: I desire to detain you
just a moment, to call attention to one or two matters referring to the
details of this Congress, We have had considerable difficulty in
determining just what delegates, either Scotch-Irishmen or
Scotch-Irishwomen, were in the city, and as to whether or not they were
all located at hotels or boarding-houses or private houses. Now it would
be a great accommodation to us, if every one, man or woman, who has no
location at present would report that fact to a gentleman who will be
located in the corner of the room right back there, immediately after this
meeting; and I will say for the benefit of those who may not have received
the information otherwise that we have made arrangements with the Peweo
Valley Hotel to open for especial purpose of accommodating the guests "of
this Congress. This is a hotel that is situated in Pewee Valley, which may
be called a suburb of Louisville, being only a few miles out of the city
on the Short Line railroad. There is a double track nearly all the way
between here and there; transit is very rapid; the trains run very
frequently during the day, both morning and afternoon, and they will run a
special train at night to accommodate those who may be detained late in
this city. I think you will find the accommodations there extremely
pleasant, and I would be obliged if all who have not located themselves
will explain that fact, as I said a moment ago, to the gentleman sitting
back there in the rear of the room at the table, and let him know whether
or not they would care to go to the Pewee Valley Hotel.
Now, that matter of business being disposed
of, it gives me very great pleasure, on behalf of the citizens of
Louisville, to say that, influenced by the fact that so many ladies have
come to the city as visitors, either as members of the Scotch-Irish
Society of America, or as wives and daughters and friends of the gentlemen
members; and influenced further by the fact that there are a great many of
our citizens, both ladies and gentlemen, who are not Scotch-Irish, but
desire to see more of our friends socially, to get better acquainted than
they can get by seeing you sitting here in these seats, we have arranged
for a reception at the Galt House this evening after the adjournment of
the evening session, the hours being from 10 to 1 o'clock to-night, and so
as to be thoroughly understood as to how the invitations are extended to
that reception, I desire to explain it, and to be as plain as possible.
All visiting members of any Scotch-Irish Society, either National or
State, and all resident members of a Scotch-Irish Society, and their wives
and daughters, and the ladies of their families, or such ladies as they
care to bring with them, and visiting members of the Scotch-Irish Society,
and friends of Scotch-Irish visitors who have come to the city on account
of the Scotch-Irish Congress, although not formally enrolled as members,
are invited and are expected. There have been some special written
invitations sent out, and some confusion has resulted from the fact that
our own members do not understand why they did not receive these
invitations. We have sent these invitations to no members, because we did
not know which of our members would be here, either of the State Society
or National Society; we were, therefore, afraid to attempt to send written
invitations to any of them, fearing we would omit some; therefore, we have
issued a general invitation to the members of the Scotch-Irish Society,
and the special invitations have only been sent out to the citizens of
Louisville who are not members of the Society.
Mr. Bonner:
The Congress now stands adjourned to meet this
evening at 8 o'clock, at Polytechnic Hall. I want it understood that the
public generally are invited. |
