Object: National origins provision of immigration law

30 NATIONAL ORIGINS PROVISION OF IMMIGRATION LAW 
pendence—35,000, or about one-fourth the number of Irish Catholics alone 
who should have been enumerated at the time. If the Irish element among 
the American Catholics of that day be estimated at 25,000, there appears to 
have been a loss to the church of 125,000 among the Irish immigrants to this 
country previous to 1790. 
Just above that he says [reading] : 
Accordingly, in view of the facts adduced in the first chapter, it may be 
estimated that of the above-mentioned 550,000, about 400,000 were of Protestant 
stock, while probably between 100.000 and 150.000 were of Catholic origin or 
descent, 
Senator Coreranp. What does he mean by saying, “ Should have 
been enumerated ” ¢ Does he mean they were not enumerated? 
Mr. Lewis. Well, he means that his estimate is 100,000 to 150,000 
people of Irish origin were of Catholic descent, and that 35.000 were 
actually in the church, 
Senator Coperanp. Well, when he uses the language which you 
quoted, I think, “ Who should have been enumerated "—read that 
again. will you, that sentence that has in it the language “should 
have been enumerated.” 
Mr. Lewis [reading] : 
In sad contrast with the latter figure stands the estimated number of 
Catholics actually present in the United States at the end of the war of inde- 
pendence—35,000, or about one-fourth the number of Irish Catholics alone who 
should have been enumerated at the time. 
Should have been in the church at the time, is what he is arguing. 
Senator CorerLaxp. It is not what should have been enumerated in 
the census. 
Mr. Lewis. Oh, no; I do not understand so. 
Senator Corerawnp, Is there any question in your mind about the 
fact that a great many Irish were overlooked in the immigration 
dgures of 1790? 
Mr. Lewss. I do not think there is any reason to believe there 
were a great many Irish overlooked. Mr. Hill has figured that sev- 
eral times before this committee and the House committee. 
Senator Corrraxp. How does it happen so many Irish names 
appear in the muster rolls of the Revolutionary Army which did not 
appear in the census of 1790 
Mr. Lewrs. I have no proof that that is the case, sir. Well, of 
2ourse—— 
Senator Coreraxp. Well, assuming it is the case, how would you 
account for it? 
Mr. Lewis. You mean if it were the case, you can account for it in 
many ways? In the census of 1790 counts only heads of families, 
Again, there were numerous men—it was a custom in the Revolution- 
ary days, until perhaps the very end of the war, Senator—to enlist 
for six months, to again enlist for six months, and again enlist for 
six months, one man enlisting five or six times in the Revolution; so 
that the name would maybe show up five or six times in the Revolu- 
tionary rolls, whereas it might not show up at all in the census, be- 
cause 1f he was not the head of a family he would not show up at all. 
Senator Coreranp. If he enlisted five or six times for a period of 
six months at a time, he must be old enough to be the head of a 
family; and it is a tact, I understand, that a great many names are 
not included in the census who were on these Revolutionary rolls.
	        
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