Present at the banquet, from other places, were:
- Hon. John C. Linehan, Concord, N. H.
- Hon. Franklin M. Danaher, Albany, N. Y.
- Hon. P. T. Barry, Chicago, Ill.
- Hon. J. C. Monaghan, Chemnitz, Germany.
- Dr. Philip Kilroy, Springfield, Mass.
- Dr. C. J. Downey, Springfield, Mass.
- Dr. James F. Martin, Springfield, Mass.
- Rev. John Harty, Pawtucket, R. I.
- Rev. T. P. Linehan, Biddeford, Me.
- Rev. Thomas H. Wallace, Lewiston, Me.
- Rev. Daniel Coffey, Columbus, O.
- Rev. T. P. O’Neill, Westchester, N. Y.
- Col. John McManus, Providence, R. I.
- Col. J. P. Donahoe, Wilmington, Del.
- James L. O’Neill, Elizabeth, N. J.
- Edmund O’Keefe, New Bedford, Mass.
- James B. Carroll, Springfield, Mass.
- Thomas Hamilton Murray, Woonsocket, R. I.
- John J. Cadigan, Boston, Mass.
- Thomas J. Cummins, Albany, N. Y.
- William P. Dempsey, Pawtucket, R. I.
- James O’Sullivan, Lowell, Mass.
- M. J. Harson, Providence, R. I.
- D. D. Donovan, Providence, R. I.
- John J. Moore, Springfield, Mass.
- Patrick O’Farrell, Washington, D. C.
- Edmund Reardon, Cambridge, Mass.
- Joseph P. Flatley, Boston, Mass.
- M. A. Toland, Boston, Mass.
- Fred C. Murphy, Springfield, Mass.
- William M. Sweeny, Astoria, L. I., N. Y.
- P. J. Garvey, Holyoke, Mass.
- Patrick Farrelly, Morristown, N. J.
- S. C. Farrelly, Morristown, N. J.
- J. A. Hart, Orange, N. J.
- F. C. O’Reilly, Orange, N. J.
The after-dinner exercises were of great interest. Vice-President-General John D. Crimmins, who was at Palm Beach, Fla., for his health, sent a telegram regretting his absence, and adding:
“Our Society should flourish. The field is ripe, and so far the surface is only scratched. When in deeper furrows, forgotten history will be brought forth that will glorify the deeds of the Irish race in building our nation.”
Letters of regret at inability to be present were received from Mayor Van Wyck of New York city, Hon. Patrick A. Collins of Boston, Mass., and other gentlemen.
THE PRESIDENT-GENERAL’S ADDRESS.
President-General Gargan, in rising to open the exercises, spoke substantially as follows:
Gentlemen of the American-Irish Historical Society: In January, 1897, the first meeting to organize this Society was called at Boston. As the reports show, we have now nearly 1,000 members residing in almost every state and territory in the United States, and representing the best elements in the several walks of life.
Our object is to see that history is written fairly and impartially. During the last twenty-five years we have adopted new methods in writing history. The historian who is to write on any epoch no longer accepts as truth the recorded facts of another historian who has written of a former epoch. He challenges every statement made unless corroborated or verified by documentary proof.
We now have access to many valuable papers and letters that throw a new light upon men, their motives and action.