New-York daily tribune., 1844-08-10
Letter of VIM. Seward TO the ho""s
Friends of Ireland -,

anniversary of the birth. day of Mr.. o'CoSsELl
9th inst. BY dinner TO which they lnVi'eo 'o''
SEWARD. Circumstances, however, occurred III
tho meantime which are sufficiently alluded 10 III
the following letter received from 'ha' sen'ie-
man. which suggested to them the ne1Peaency
of carving out their original Intention lest 'e''
motive might be misrepresented and 'chc'n'y
asc,bed to them which their devotecness 10 peace
and patriotism is opposed to. These are most
I.,d.bIc ;cauences and worthy OF the " cung
Friends" ,-,rsx Joos ss,h ls4L
yorxc FRIENDS OF IRELAND: L cannot oo-
,,ns rour kind invitation without ceniessng
NV deep regret that my feet cannot follow ~hete
nv heart 50 impatently leads. You asked iiie
I.s, winter TO Join you at the festive board whe,e
.bs ocb;e-enents and renown OF your Peop:e
were to be celebrated; | care not greatly ioF su'"
,-nmobs. You invite me now when Ireland Is
n deem ahl.ction, and the exlles OF lrelahu DIT
u;delv persecuted, hated and desPsea' lne
a.,ber;nqs of Irishmen are attractive to me now
fcr feel that 1t is better to go to Inc hous' .
mourning than to the house OF feast'ng'
~ ,boee almost supernuman efforts were "a
sl,;ng Ireland to place among Inc ha''o"'' 10
prisoner, and the Pastors ofthe 'ton'i cnufc' at
;s.,, nor consultations TO her dellverer no' uhuei
.,..a dame of her Cathedral, but IN :"
cell built for ie!ons; ,.uu ms happened in the
empire that gave H4mpden, Sidney, Russell and
Million to the world.
A community of Irshmen and Irish women
exies in America, but engrated upon the Ame
rican People, have escaped with their children II
The night time from the sword end the bayonct,
by the light of their Dwellings, their Libraries,
their Hospitals and their Churches, fred by Ma
tive American CITIZENS. Their crime was that
they were Irishmen and Roman Catholics, and
this has happened in the city that William Penn
founded, and Berj amin franklin endowed and
embelllshed, in the country for which Carroll
staked his fortune Lafayette and Koscusko
their f.me, and for whichS.lontgomery offered up
his life. They tell me that O'Connell was convict
ed of violating British laws, by a British jury.
And what saved Washington from the scaifold
|
.,.a, ile overturned The law, the constitution and
the throne of the British Empire in America
And what was C'Connells crime THE gath.
ering of mass meetings to produce change of
administration for his country's welfare. Are
not the whole American People at this moment
engaged in the SAINT offencel
They tell me that in Philadelphia some Irish
men fired on meeting assembled for political
discussion. 1t may be so but the evidence is
conflicting and l suspend my Judgment for it is
the strong who accuse the weak. II, however,
Irishmen did SO invade the rights of citizens
they committed crime against liberty and law,
which not even their just complaint against
Native American intolerance and prescription
can in the least degree palliate or excuse. But
that crimc even if committed, affords no justifi-
cation for retaliation upon women and children,
upon the fireside and the Sanctuary.
They at least were innocent, and the retalia-
ton was dastardIy, inhuman and sacriegious. 1t
is pretended that Catholics desired to exclude the
Bible from the Public Schools, and hence the
formation Of the Native American Party | know
not how such plea can bear upon the issue on
which we arc arraigned before the world. But
before that impartial tribunal | declare in favor
Of the Catholics Of America against their accus-
ers that the charge is caumnious and false.
The current now sets against you, young Friends
Of Ireland, and against your country and your
countrymen. Whoever else fails you, be assured
that am firm and true and faithful. Hold on
still to the truth asserted in the Declaration OF
independence, that all men are born free and
equal" and to the consequent truth that all men
have an inalienable right to free suffrage as con-
dition OF submission to authority. Hold now more
than ever TO the great Injunction Of Christianity,
" Do unto others you would that they should
do unto you" Doubt not the ultimate and speedy
efficacy of these fundamental maxims of civil
zaton and humanity. Be undismayed Be Of
good cheer The ruins Of st. Augustine will
prove the grave OF intolerance in America. The
backened walls which remain bear an approprl.
ate epitaph, "Thc Lord Seeth" The voice OF
OConncll, will gather the tones and the velocity
of electricity coming through the CRATES Of New
Gate. We shall yet see the 90 Libcrator of Ire
land" upon the Woosack in College Green
and we shall see the American People once more
Just and generous TO the wanderer and the exile,
and above all to the exile for freedom. and for
conscience sake. WILLIAM II. SEWARD.
Messr Jao Kel!eher Deoi. Elalpn and P. McQuade.
Tna PnAL,Sx, No. XVI. which appears this
morning, discusses question but little if ever
mooted by the press of this country, still one Of
great Importance, which commands earnest at
tention at the hands of large class of persons
1t is the question of the RIGHT OF MAN TO THE
SOIL, and the Phalanx touches upon it in reply 10
enquiries pu, to it as to its views on the su ecl by
the Peoples Rights, an Agratian P fper tuols.
ed in this city, which advocates free dstribu
ton of the public lands to laboring men, in small
parcels, as means Of restoring to them what 1t
contends is natural right of man to the soil
The Phalanx maintains the right of man to the
soil, bat shows the fallacy OF the views ano
schemes OF the Agrarians; the doctrine is placed
m trne oround