Prospectus of the Gaelic American, edited by John Devoy in New York, first number published on September 19, 1903.
New York, June 18, 1903.
THE GAELIC AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY has been organized under the laws of New York for the purpose of publishing an Irish American weekly newspaper in New York City.
The Capital Stock of the Company has been fixed at $25,000, to be all paid up, in shares of $5 each, and the undersigned Incorporators will be the Board of Directors for the first year.
The name of the paper will be THE GAELIC AMERICAN and the first issue will appear at an early day.
The object of the paper will be to aid the cause of Irish National Independence, as the term was understood by Wolfe Tone and the Emmets, by John Mitchel, John O’Mahony and James Stephens. An Irish Nation means Ireland governing herself according to the wishes and interests of her own people and without any interference whatever from any people, power or authority outside her own borders.
This object the paper will seek to promote by the methods used by the Dublin NATION, when it was the organ of ‘Young Ireland,’ and by the IRISH PEOPLE, which spoke for the Fenians: that is, by the publication of news of interest to Irish Nationalists throughout the world, the cultivation of Irish literature and history and the promotion of a sound and healthy public opinion and a spirit of self-respect and self-reliance among the Irish race wherever situated.
Special attention will be given to contemporary Irish history and biography, now either neglected or misrepresented for British or factious purposes, and to the Gaelic revival, which is one of the surest signs of the resurgence of the old race and the old spirit in Ireland.
In American politics the paper will be independent. Its course will be guided solely by the interests of the Irish National Movement and a proper regard for the standing and rights of our people in this country. It will aim to be an organ of independent Irish American opinion, taking the ground that the creation of an Irish Republic would be in the interests not only of citizens of Irish race but of the whole American people. The majority of the Irish race is in the United States and has in its hands the ultimate settlement of the Irish question.
The history of the Irish race in this country is of vital importance to the rising generation, and a proper understanding of its present position is necessary to enable our people to make use of the splendid opportunities at their command. The paper will therefore devote much space to the achievements of Irishmen here and will endeavour to concentrate the attention of our people on the special work that can be done for Ireland in the United States.
Irish citizens are divided in their party affiliations, as are citizens of other races in this country, but our race from the very dawn of history has stood for the highest ideals of human progress. These ideals should not be forgotten in the clash of party interests, or subordinated to the ambitions of candidates for office.
Our people have ever been the sturdiest champions of American principles of government because they are the principles for which the race has fought and struggled for many centuries. We find these principles assailed at the very fountain head by an organized movement to destroy the old American spirit and substitute for it a servile dependence on England. This movement aims to place in the hands of a clique of pro-British sycophants the direction of the foreign policy of this great Republic, to get control of the army, the navy, and the schools of the United States, as it has already secured control of a portion of the daily press. This ‘Anglo-Saxon’ propaganda has made considerable headway, mainly because the true American, the Irish and the German citizen have been too preoccupied with local affairs to give proper attention to the foreign relations of the Republic.
To change this deplorable state of things and to stem the rising tide of British influence should be the determination of every true American citizen. THE GAELIC AMERICAN will endeavour to arouse Irish Americans to the necessity of doing their full share of this work—necessary alike to the true interests of the United States and to the success of the cause of liberty in Ireland.
This programme is not a light undertaking and we are fully conscious of the responsibility we incur. Success is only possible with the help of those who believe, as we do, that the work is absolutely necessary, not only for the credit and well being of the Irish race at home and abroad, but also for the perpetuation of the great work accomplished by the American Revolution. We confidently appeal for that help.
In order that the paper may have a fair chance it must be placed beyond the possibility of failure until it shall have had time to reach the people and overcome the obstacles which always confront a new enterprise. The only way to ensure this is to have the whole Capital Stock paid in at the very start. Those who wish to invest in the stock should therefore do so at once. Subscriptions to the paper itself should also be forwarded without delay.
The best available talent will be secured for both the editorial and business departments of the paper. We are already assured of contributions from the ablest men of the National Movement at home and abroad and no effort will be spared to make the paper worthy of the support it seeks and commercially successful.
Checks and money orders, either for the stock or for subscriptions to the paper, should be made payable to the GAELIC AMERICAN PUBLISHING COMPANY, New York.
All communications should until further notice be addressed to the treasurer.
THOMAS J. O’SULLIVAN,
257 Hudson Street,
New York.
Notice of the date of publication will be given as soon as practicable.
DANIEL F. COHALAN, New York City.
THOMAS J. O’SULLIVAN, New York City.
JOHN DEVOY, New York City.
JAMES CLANCY, New York City.
THOMAS B. McGOWAN, Brooklyn, N.Y.
JOHN M. DIGNEY, White Plains, N.Y.
PATRICK O’MARA, Jersey City, N.J.
WILLIAM CROSSIN, Philadelphia, Pa.
JOHN L. GANNON, Providence, R.I.
JOHN J. TEEVENS, Boston, Mass.
JAMES M. SULLIVAN, New Haven, Conn.