“A Most Distressful Nation”

“A Most Distressful Nation”

A Portrait of the American Irish

The most obvious thing one can say about the American Irish is that every accusation that is made against more recent immigrant groups to the large cities was made against the Irish first. They were lazy, shiftless, dirty, savage (as early as the Revolutionary War there were considerable doubts as to whether you could trust an Irish soldier).

The Irish soldiers abounded in our armies, and have fought in some of our battles; but sir, they have only fought as they were commanded, they have never led in any skirmish that I know of, and if they had known how to do anything but fight, they would never have been commanded to fight some of the battles that are the glor...

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