Page:Irish In America.djvu/199

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RECKLESS IMPROVIDENCE—KINDLY RELATIONS.
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unfortunately for the world at large, is a common result with money so rapidly earned ; but in Newfoundland there is the superadded evil of long intervals of idleness, during which the once jovial sinner mourns, in sackcloth and ashes and unavailing repentance, the follies of his prosperous hours. The Irish, perhaps, are not worse than others in their spirit of recklessness, and their habits of baneful indulgence ; but certainly they are not better than their neighbours in this respect. Social, impulsive, and gener ous, there are no people in the world, Newfoundland in cluded, whom self-restraint would benefit more than those of Irish birth or origin. Even so far back as the commencement of the century, the Irish merchants had taken a prominent position in the colony ; and in 1806 the Benevolent Irish Society was formed an institution which had for its object the relief of the distressed without any distinction, and the fostering of national feeling and spirit. The promoters were some of the foremost men in the colony, Protestants and Catho lics, between whom the most friendly relations existed ; and the meetings and proceedings of this body did no little to influence the tone and temper of the community at large. Its annual celebrations of St. Patrick s Day, in which men of all creeds and countries participated, were held in great esteem, as much for the kindly sentiments they encouraged, as for the social enjoyment they were always certain to afford. This society, after a life of sixty years, is still in existence ; and not only does it fulfil its mission of benevo lence in the same spirit in which it was founded, but its annual reunions continue to be an agreeable feature in the festivities of St. John s. Newfoundland may look in vain for a grievance ; but should it discover one, it has the means within itself of quickly setting it at rest. Its inhabitants of all denomina tions enjoy in unimpaired fulness the blessings of civil and religious freedom : there are no harassing and vexa-