1 Box No. 332, Post Office, Perth Amboy, New Jersey, United States of America March 18th 1916 His Excellency, Lord Wimborne, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, Viceregal Lodge, Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland My Lord I take the liberty of writing to
you to mention an Irish entertainment
which took place in the Simpson Methodist
Episcopal church of Perth Amboy last
evening (cutting from a local newspaper
enclosed). The Pastor Rev Wilbert 2 Westcott delivered a very witty address
on St Patrick and Ireland and
in the course of same scored in
very scathing terms the conduct of
the Irishmen who assembled in New York
(on March 3rd at the Astor Hotel)
and lunched on champagne and
then delivered a tirade against
England hoping she would be defeated
& and when at the same time there were
thousands of Irishmen their fellow countrymen
in the trenches fighting for England
and civilization. I am very pleased indeed to be
able to assure your Excellency that
Mr Westcotts remarks on this point
were very loudly applauded and created
a very strong impression on the
audience which numbered over
six hundred persons, and they were
most appropriate as this city has
a population of 40,000 and its
chief industry is copper refineries and
powder factories all of which are
working at their limit for the Allies. I would be glad if your Excellency can
see your way to write me a personal
letter which I could forward to the
Rev Wilbert Westcott conveying your 3 appreciation of his nice remarks
regarding the Irish race —
I know if you can do so it will
be very much appreciated by
Mr Westcott and his congregation
and it will be a big help in
still stronger cementing the good will
which the Americans hold towards
our Gracious Majesty the King and
his people. I may mention that Sir Gilbert Parker
a short time ago sent me a number
of publications and they were most
early eagerly read by the citizens
here and the newspapers are continually
printing extracts from them. 4 PS If I may suggest
that in your Excellency's
letter if you can intimate that
you will convey to his Majesty
Mr. Westcott's kind remarks regarding
the soldiers in the trenches i am also sure
it will be gratefully received
R.A. McDowell
2 Personally I regret that my health
does not permit me to go onto
the firing lines but I am pleased
to say that the only brother I have
joined the First Canadian Contingent
and was unfortunately wounded in
the battle of Ypres on April 22nd
1915 and he is now employed
in the Pay and Record office of
the Canadian Forces at 7 Milbank
Street Westminster London. Two years ago I had the
privilege of seeing your Lordship 5 at the Polo grounds in New York
and I was delighted when I
received a letter a few weeks
ago from my native town
Clonmel to hear that your
Excellency had received such a
warm welcome I could not help
contrasting it with what I believe
was the last visit of a former
Viceroy (the late Earl Spencer) I was
then a schoolboy and he came
to Clonmel on a visit to the
Earl of Donoughmore at Knocklofty.
I was also pleased to see that
your Lordship was a guest of
Mr. Richard Burke whom I
was acquainted with when I
lived in Clonmel. Trusting that your Excellency and
the Vicereine may have a
very happy and successful
administration. I remain, yours sincerely Richard A: McDowell P.S. I enclose you some cuttings from New York
papers which may interest you.