The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1841-01-22
!(From The Philadslphia Timei.)
IRELAND AND ITS PROSPECTS


sfrelaud--:hat great, glorious, but
much oppressed land Of warm hearts,
aud noble spiTils--is yet, we think, des-
tined to Itfree! There IS too much Of
natural independence, too much Of en-
Ghusiasas,- too much >eftAat boldaess Of
thought, which wi II find utterance IN el.
oquent and impsssional" language, in
the, pooble of that romani; isle, to sup
pose that, however compelled to cover
beneath the bristling Sayonets Of thesop
1ptessol, they viii Hotyet rise, and ir
The face Of tho blue heaven that covers
them, assert, and successfully maintain
stheir eight, as a people, to The enjoy
rment-Of civil aud religious liberty! We
'loOle upon Ireland-as >a-siumberng lion;
uutamed, though passive--watchful,
though not r-Iike-and ever ready for
~lnstant rebsllion. She 10 in the tolls Of
"a stronger spirit; but knowing her
strength; and conscious how unavailng
T-were it's present exertion, she is hoar'
g. ding il up by repose for that auspiclous
., moment when. hernanacies rusted by
e. age. or left unguarded by negligence,
- sho~wiltsWith one gigantic effort burst
r. assunder her- bonds, and walk the fair
- earth; Bnd breathe the fresh air, in all
thS-nativeS dignity Of freedom.
Entertaining those views, it isemore
with plessuTe 4hau surprise, that we note
e. the struggles making 10 that proud but
y unhappy cOuntry'to obtain a repeal Of
'.the union with England. This is fa-
~.vurite measure ofO'Connell; the dar-
Iidg Oject of his 'hopss, his wishes, his
unparalleled and unceasing exertione.
The fruits of that union have been 10
FlrelaHd bitter in the extreme. They
have resembled the tabled apples Of the
Dead Sea-beaullful to the Grst iusPec.
tiou, but shes smoothing but ashes to
the taste. Byranay degradation, impov
erishment, the most calling and oppres-
sive that ever gallant nation yet en-"
dured, have been the sad results Of that
unfortunate event. Il it TO be wonder-
ed st, then, that Irish patriots have been
found ready 10 die as martyrs in the
cause Of llbertyl IL it 10 be wondered
at, then, that tho whole population Of
ireland exasperatedst the iron bondage
which crushes them 10 tho earth, stand
ready at the slightest signal 10 strike
down taetyrant whose right arm COW
eEs 'H,sm~with rags, and robs them not
ony%of alt that >nakes h(s dear but even
renders il endufablel
TO physical strength, however, lrc-
land, could not at this moment wisely
resort for independence. The links
with which she is bound are too we'll
'xtveued for instant separation. They
mustbe corroasd by time, and that PEI
'cu!iarAscid, public opinion. Here cham>
pion, 0'Conne!lr'is keenly alive 10 this,
and i'm ah his movements, exhibits his
epPr ehensiops of seditrous action. lie
IS continually pessuading his quick tem-
>pared countrymeh te peace, and ever
prefets 10 more offensive ones, the wea-
'pons Of o(eloquence and argumeu, in the
advancement of his patriotic hopes. He
eDizes with exquisite tact upon every
opportunity to WELD the public 'C,nd,
illing through the press and the ros,rum
NHO 'O0t "iNN q luC puDIIO
eyo1%i!h' picture, of his Cean,ry's
wrongs, and reasonable expectations.
Fhisis the proper kind of "agitation,"
and-masteveutustIy work out it's eaIu-
'sry effects. Even etyrauts must trem.
ble+when the popular voiceiis awakened
and every wind is filled with the uttered
Wrought Of mul,itudcs of human beings
breathed in sympathy for the suferIngs
of their fellows.
>Ehs- last movement Of O'Cornelf- in
'Turtherenco of the Repeal Of the Union,
Us singular one. Rnc illustrates the
wonderful sagacty 'ofttrs great man,
~es we'll as his un.Iring genius and per-
severance. Our readers are eli famil-
iar with the temperance>p!edge with
which Father Matthew has. in moral
.sseRse, ALMOST regenersted Ireland, and
Swhiehewe DO not hesitate to say will
contribute more towards fitting her peo-
'pie for the enjoyment of that political
eedom we think in-store for them, than
any effort ofequaFsimplicity modern in
'genuity could suggest; this obligation
Mr. OConnell has feIicitousIy Imita>
ted, circulating throughout the whole ma
aion, so-as to-briug it into the hands Of
every individual. pledge, which every
lover Of repeal, land what lrishman
>dOats on 1t nO,l) will sign with avidi'y,
,viz:-to abstain from the use of any ar
ticle of British manufacture, except un-
der the mo st pressing and imperative
circumstances, until the prayer for 'the
Repeal or the Union shall be granted
This is-a grand, important, and patrio'
tic movement. 1t closely resembles
the heroic Obs,inacy of our fathers, who
on The eve Of our revolution, denied
themselves the luxuries Of life, rather
than in derogatiOn oflheir unalienablt
'rights, submit to an unauthorized and
iliOgitimate taxation on the part Of Eng