Gentlemen,—Deeply appreciative as I am of the honor conferred upon me by your tendering me the position of President-General of the American-Irish Historical Society, I feel that the compliment is greatly enhanced by my having been selected to fill the place so recently made vacant by the death of one of our most illustrious fellow-citizens, the late Rear-Admiral Richard W. Meade, of the United States Navy. Honored by all true patriots for the loyalty, courage, and professional ability which so eminently distinguished him in his country’s hour of trial, and throughout his whole career, no more fitting representative of the Irish people, to whose history our society is devoted, could have been chosen as its first President-General, than Rear-Admiral Meade, who bore a name renowned as well in the army as in the navy of our country. While fully conscious of my being all too unworthy to occupy a position which my predecessor so adequately filled, yet, as I am most earnestly and heartily in sympathy with the objects of the American-Irish Historical Society, and willing to share in its labors and responsibilities, I cannot but accede to your wishes, whatever misgivings I may have as to my ability to fulfill your expectations. My descent from Irish ancestry, of which I am justly proud, and also from the English and Welsh, not only enables me to regard myself as among typical Americans in respect of origin, as well as aspirations and pride of country, but renders me fondly sympathetic with the aims and purposes of this American-Irish Society. The main purpose of the American-Irish Historical Society is to elucidate the history of the Irish element in our people and the extent of the contributions to our development and civilization since the earliest colonial period,—a rich and greatly neglected field for historical research. The society intends to demonstrate the fact that this element has not been given the credit which is its due by the writers of American history, and to prove by authoritative records that from the earliest days of the settlement of this country up to the present day, it has done its part towards establishing and maintaining this great Republic, and in developing its greatness in every field of its achievements. But it is not solely to chronicle the deeds of Irish ancestors, or their descendants, and our contemporaries that we have organized an historical society.