Page:Irish In America.djvu/198

176 inferior to their neighbours of other nationalities. Whether in the professions, as merchants and traders, or as daring and successful fishermen, they enjoy an enviable position, and maintain the highest character. For their numbers the Irish men of business represent as large an amount of wealth as any other class in the colony, and in influence and general repute they are not second to those with whom they are associated. In the Government the Catholic element is adequately felt, and the right of Catholics to the enjoyment of their legitimate influence is not ques tioned even by the most extreme of their opponents. They have/ says a distinguished Catholic layman, their full measure of equal privileges, and neither their country nor their creed is a bar to advancement in any of the walks of life. In daring and energy in the prosecution of their adven turous pursuit, the Irish are in every respect equal to the other fishermen who hunt the seal, or capture the cod and ling of the great bank. Indeed it would be difficult to see anywhere a body of men more full of life, vigour, and intelligence, than may be found issuing from the Catholic cathedral any Sunday in those portions of the year when the fishermen are at home. There is, however, one thing to be regretted that the money so gallantly earned is not always wisely spent. It is a matter of regret that the nature of the fisheries is such as to leave long intervals of unemployed time at the disposal of those engaged in them, and this is especially felt when the fisheries are unpro ductive. In prosperous seasons the earnings of the men are sufficient for their siappc rt for the year ; but this facility of earning money has its disadvantages, particu larly in inducing a spirit of recklessness and habits of extravagance, which not unfrequently tend to much misery. It is no uncommon thing in the seal fishery for a man to earn 20/., 30?., or even more, in a month or five weeks ; but, alas! it often goes as rapidly as it is acquired. This,