NATIONAL ORIGINS PROVISION OF IMMIGRATION LAW 117
War muster rolls are not duplications; the burden of proof ought to
be on him, and the reason I came to that conclusion is this: The
Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors of the Revolutionary War, which
is a work embodying names of every individual from Massachusetts
who fought in the Army forces of the Revolution, on land or sea,
which they have been able to get data on, is a work embodying 17
volumes, with pages totaling in number 16,180.
Now, I glanced through many of these names, and the minimum
average is about 10 names to the page.
That would mean a total number of names listed in this work of
161,800, who would be, if you took all the names there, without allow-
ing for duplications, the number who were in the Army forces of
Massachusetts from 1775 to 1783.
Senator CoprLanp. What was the probable number?
Mr. MaraewsoN. Well, as I understand it, if one-tenth of the
population is in the army forces of a country it is an exceptionally
high percentage. In bringing that point out—the population of
Massachusetts was estimated for 1780——
Senator Resp. 17804
Mr. Mataewson. For 1780 was 307,000. If you take 161,800 as the
number of soldiers in the Revolutionary Army from Massachusetts,
it would mean that considerably more than one-half of the popula-
tion was in the Revolutionary Army, which is, of course, an absurd-
ity—1t could not be; that is all.
~ There are no authentic figures showing exactly the number of men
mn the Revolutionary Army. It varied so from time to time, or
any exact data or information showing how many come from each
State. But taking your 310,000, and taking 10 per cent of that, you
would have, say, 30,000, which would be a high figure for those
who come from Massachusetts—from the Massachusetts descendants
of the Revolutionary War. You can judge from this to what extent
there must be duplications in the muster rolls, and yet these furnish,
I might say, the chief support up which Mr. O’Brien relies in his
statement concerning the number of southern Irish in the United
States in the Army of 1790.
I will just read to you a few of the records of certain men of whom
[ found duplications of names.
Senator Reep. Would you forgive an interruption. sir?
Mr. MATHEWSON. Yes, sir.
Senator Reep. I see that you have all these prepare in the form of
a statement. I am wondering if, in order to save your time and the
committee’s, it might be as well to embody the entire statement
in the record, instead of picking out fragments of it. It would be
more helpful to us.
Mr. MarsEwsON. I see. Well, I have made several notations for
convenience ; and then I will put my memorandum in the record.
Senator Reep. Thank you very much.
Mr. MarnewsoN. And then I understand, Senator, you would like
fo me to read the records of the different men. I only have a few
ere.
Senator Reep. If they are going to go into the record as part of
your statement.
Mr. Maraewson. Then, I will just read one as an example.
Senator Rrrp. All richt.
