On this day 250 years ago in Philadelphia, the Committee on Trade submitted a report to the Continental Congress recommending that the Congress encourage immigration from Ireland and trade with Ireland:

As the Cessation of the American Trade with Ireland originated in Policy dictated by Principles of self Preservation and may be attended with Distress to a People who have always manifested a Noble Regard to the Rights of Mankind and have ever been friendly to these much injured Colonies, Your Committee are of opinion that great Kindness and Attention ought to be paid to such of that oppressed Nation as have or may come to settle in America, and that it be earnestly recommended by this Congress to the good People of these Colonies to let them have Lands at a cheap Rate, and on easy Terms, and that the several Conventions and Assemblies and Committees through out these confederate Countries, afford them Aid and to them every friendly office. And it having been represented to your Committee that the withholding Flax seed from Ireland will be attended with a much greater Degree of Distress and Ruin to the poor of that Kingdom, than the Congress apprehended, they are of opinion that our Friends and Fellow Subjects in Ireland should be admitted to take Flax seed from these Colonies in Exchange for all such Powder and other military Stores and woolen Yarn of their Manufacture as they shall bring to America.

Source: https://americanfounding.org/entries/second-continental-congress-october-2-1775/