Around the tables were noted: the Revs. William P. McQuaid, Boston; John Harty, Pawtucket, R. I.; J. H. Lyons, Boston; Dr. W. D. Collins, Haverhill, Mass.; Dennis H. Sheahan, Providence, R. I.; Stephen J. Casey, Providence; Osborne Howes, Boston; Humphrey O’Sullivan, Lowell, Mass.; J. F. Brennan, Peterboro, N. H.; Representative John Jolly, Alderman Thomas O’Brien, and Hugh J. Lee, Pawtucket, R. I.; Daniel Donovan, Timothy Donovan, and P. S. Curry, Lynn, Mass.; Hon. Joseph H. O’Neil, Dr. William H. Grainger, Dr. P. J. Timmins, M. A. Toland, Edward A. McLaughlin, M. J. Jordan, Dr. P. F. Gavin, Charles E. S. MacCorry, Joseph P. Flatley, Jeremiah W. Fogarty, all of Boston; Edmund Reardon, Capt. J. F. Murray, and Edward M. Manning, of Cambridge, Mass.; James Cunningham and Frank W. Cunningham, of Portland, Me.; and many others. After dinner a short but stirring speech was made by the presiding officer, Hon. Thomas J. Gargan, who said in part: It cannot be otherwise than interesting to analyze the materials entering into the warp and woof of our democratic fabric. We are a nation receiving emigrants from almost every country on the face of the globe. We are endeavoring to amalgamate people of different races, languages, and religions into a homogeneous mass, eliminating all that is vicious, and so refining what is good, hoping to evolve the best type of manhood and womanhood to be found in the coming century. Doubtless the descendants of each race making contributions to our population will perform their share of the work in tracing their early settlements and their efforts in up-building the Republic. Our share of the work is to examine the data and preserve the records of the Irish and their descendants, and their contributions to the settlement of the original Colonies, the founding of the nation, the upholding of the Union, and the maintenance of democratic institutions. Proud of our ancestry, yet loving the United States and loyal to our citizenship, we desire a fair share of credit for what they have accomplished. We respect the Germans, the French, the Italians, and the genuine Scotchman; but for that masquerading misnomer, the Scotch-Irishman, who claims no ancestry and no country as his own, we have only contempt; and he will go down to posterity as he deserves, “unwept, unhonored, and unsung.” A distinguished man has said “the Irish have fought successfully the battles of all countries but their own.” They have also contributed their full share to the civilization and progress of all English-speaking people. That they possess brilliant qualities is not denied; but it is charged that they lack steadiness of purpose. I think a careful and critical study of the history of this country will refute this assertion.