The Ohio Democrat. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1840-1900, 1842-01-27
THEFRlENDS OF IRELAND.

The friends OF Ireland held meeting, at
'FraEkfort, Kentucky, on the 9th INSTANT on
which occasion @ II. RICHARD NJ. JOHNSON,
made the following remarks:
GENrLEMEN-l have been horored with the
Office Of presiding over the deliberations OF this
assembly. And the first duty shall perform
10 10 return you my heartfelt thanks-to make
my sincere acknowledg dgments to you Tor 'hls
great honor derived from such respectable
collection of my fellow citizens. The OBJECT
Of this meeting is not so welIknown to me IN
detail, as 10 tho distinguished individual VINO
will address on | understand, however, that
4he question to which others may be IN
caenta or auxiliary, is--lreIaud oppressed or
I, ,eiand d S ,n,hraTied from that oppression.
Ireland feels the iron hoof oppression. she
cries aloud TO lhe nations for sympathy. She
ia the best Judge Of the sdfferlngs she endures
their cx,eut--lheir intensity, and we as look
ers on, cannot remain Indifferent 1t we WonIo.
Ireland feels that she is not aninlergral portion
of the British Empire every act oil The DrlI"
ish Parliament tells her that she ls an alien,
un outcast, a neglected, an oppressor. and
s,arids forward 10 vindicate and establish her
right TO self government Her struggle ls
. -
She docs not struggle as we struggled agaIns
Britishpow with the bayonet AID the can
non. No she adopts another aud different
force the force Of argument of moral ieas-
on,ng-or intellectual electricity. with lhese
Tuces she hopes TO rend asunder the Puny man
ecles Of British tyranny, and the cause!oi gen.
oralliber,y is too dear to American freeman
netto wish her complete success CheerSJ
Some persons NAV take exceptions TO these
mseting., and may doubttbe prudence of A
merican CIT zens interfering in the cause oi The
opsreesed. Gentlemen, my opinion is, that
she cause ofhonor and virtue and charity when
honestly followed, will always be found Pru'
dent course. Above all, it Is The only course
which = Americsn fteemen can pursue This Is
the land Ell the free, and tho home OF the brave,
sud we tsy an undOubled righLtO sympa'hlse
with the oppressed-,o feed the hungry and
clo,he the naked from wheresoever may we
never he wau,ing in the disposition 10 aid In
the diseDihrament Of oppressed man, "6e'nei
Under On ln-h or an eastern sun. Louo
cheers.1 believe The sentiments utter, ,tlnc
a sincere response in your bosoms, and / be-
heve n ne enihs of the American people wouIt
tespobd 10 ,he appeals Of the oppressed in lh'
same way.
You have always so responded 10 the chain
oflhe oppressed in every country, and now
ahen lhe call proceeds from lreand-fior
Ina, land which has gwen you 80 many brav
and noble hearts to help you 10 win your LID
rtties. mistake your characteTs-l kno'
YOU not, if your response be not liberal, en-
courasug, aud comprehensive. ! have, wit
acme of you, my fellow cIizens, fought by ii
side Of the Irshm n 10 The ranks OF lIberl
under the star ,spapged banner, against II
nhrisiiad opprevsn, as we'll as the savage 70
II have fought under ihe bird OfJOve--the ab
ding Engle--by the side Of the sons OF :
E,nefai0 Isle. baveseen The lnshmsn Il
n the ranks, and hank bis God that he b
ons iifs 10 give in the cause OF American lre
dom. snd RI grst that be had not another life
Iose (oi her sake. cloud cheers.) hs
witnessed many an 10 tance Of their bravery