These devices, designed some years before the Revolution, were certainly ominous, if not prophetic. The Goddess of LIBERTY joining the hands of HIBERNIA and AMERICA, with the superscription “UNITE,” was sufficiently significant, considering that the effect of that union powerfully promoted the subsequent dismemberment of the British Empire and the liberty and independence of America. The motto, HIER, or, without the aspirate, IER, in the Celtic language signifies “West,” and from it came the name of the country, Ere, Erin, or Ireland, and Ierna, aspirated Hibernia. But the word HIER had in it a duplicate and equivocal signification, peculiarly appropriate as the motto of a society whose object was to “_Unite_” in fellowship the sons of the _little_ isle of the “_West_” with those of the _great_ continent of the “West.” This medal the members were obliged to wear at the meeting of the Society under the penalty of 7s. 6d. for neglect to do so on St. Patrick’s day, and 5s. on the days of the quarterly meetings.[2] Footnote 2: The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick of Philadelphia was founded in 1771. George Washington, adopted a member December 17, 1781, dined with the Society on St. Patrick’s Day, 1782, and characterized it as “_a society distinguished for the firm adherence of its members to the glorious cause in which we are embarked_.” Other members were Generals Moylan, Shee, Wayne, Knox, Butler, Irvine, Hand; Commodore Barry, John Mease, who crossed the Delaware with General Washington on the memorable night of December 25, 1776, and surprised the Hessians; and his brother, Matthew, who commanded the quarter deck guns under Paul Jones in the _Bonhomme Richard’s_ fight with the _Serapis_. On June 17, 1780, twenty-seven of its members subscribed 103,500 pounds sterling to furnish provisions for the army, Robert Morris and Blair McClenachan each subscribing 10,000 pounds. William Constable, another member, an aid of Lafayette and partner of Robert Morris, was one of the founders of the New York Society.—_Hood’s Friendly Sons of St. Patrick_, 43–49 (Phila., 1844); _Crimmins’ Early Celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day_, 215 (N. Y., 1902). The original records of the Society from 1784 to 1835, except the Treasurer’s Book from 1804, were lost by fire in August, 1835, being at that time in possession of the Secretary, whose place of business was destroyed.