The native American., 1838-08-25


efforts in behalf OF liberty-the most thrilling
phiippcs against tyranny and in behalf of justice
and equal Iights-with irresistible appeals in the
cause of humanity, come from the sons OF Erin.
But while Gratton-a Curran, an Edward
Fitzgerald, an Emmett, Montgomery and a
Porter, shine as bright stars to uphold the claims
of many of the sons of the Green Isle, to place
among the excellent and great ones that add lustre
to our Planet; alas, what catalogue there is OF
the opposite characters belonging to the same land,
to make us sometimes exclaim ''can any good
come out Of Ireland?
fon the one side we have Lord Edward Fitz-
gerald nobIy aiming to break the shackles that
bound down his country, OIL the other side we
have Thomas Judkin Fitzgerald, High Sheriff of
Tipperary, tyrannising it, at the very same mo-
ment, over his countrymen, with wontonness
and cruelty only equalled by its injustice and the
ignorance of the petty tunctonary from which it
flowed. Thus, while Theobald Wolfe Tone,
for the almost unequalled abilities and talents
with which he advocated the cause of his country
and counrymen commands the respect and admira-
ton of the brave and generous enemies OF that
cause SO much as that he finds safe harbour
among them the British naval officers having
taken him on board of one of their vessels, where
he passed as one of themselves under feigned
him, even when brought to task and reward
offered: countryman and old school fellow of his
own, volunteers to do so and does it-ay! with a
kiss too, Judas-hke And thus it runs with them
through the whole catalogue of what is good and
noble OIL the one side, dasardly and criminal on
the other If we have Montgomery and Jasper
devoted warriors, shining in the foremost ranks of
the brave defenders of our liberty and independ-
ence, and Porter equally conspicuous among
our patriotic and eloquent senators on the other
hand, if there any who sell their souls for a
mess of potage, by perjuring themselves at our
elections to exercise double influence upon the
issue of the contest by voting twice or ottener,
they are sure to be lrishmen. If there are any
who stir up civil commotion, and threaten the
lives of the very persons who may be giving them
employment and bread, because they may come to
deem their pay too small, they will be found to
be Irishmen. 1t is however in the old country that
they enact such scenes as the last, more particu-
larly. There, especially in Scotland, the term
"you low Ilish,' because of this and the other
bad traits in their character, is one of great re-
proach; almost equivalent, "you Gipsy," both
of which are used. Hence we think, an Irish
man, of all other people, has least reason to found
a boast on the country he is from. With him in
particular, the test should be, if he acts we'll his
part; in that all the honor should lie. As to the
rest he should take Pope's advice and
"In quiet flow from Lucrece to Lucrece."
In fine, there are no people of whom it is more
difficult to speak in any general terms, with an
eye to truth, than the Irish. If there be Michaels
and Abdiels so to speak, among them, there are
also Belials, Beelzebubs Molochs, and fallen Luc-
fers enough and to spare-and in a far greater
abundance than among any other people, save
the Gipses, perhaps.