The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-08-08
GOVERNOR sEWARD's REMARKS.

Ladies and Ceatlemen-You have assem-
bled under a notice addressed 10 you as re-
pealers. bat think / may safely address
you as FELLow-CrrIzENs. | regret that ii is
my fist duty to announce TO so vast an as
semblage, that it ismy purpose TO ~disappoint
their reasonable expectations. You have
come here TO listen to an Grafton for Repeal.
II frequently happens that the highest and
noblest cause IS impaired by the indiscreet
ardor Of its advocates. So 1t is now and
here in regard to the Revolution in Ireland.
Il involves more benefit and more of hope
for the human race than any other cause
which now engages the attention of the Civ
ilized world, except one, and that is the
emancipation of that large portion of the hui
man family degraded into domestic as well
as political Slavery. Every American con-
cedes thas the intense interest felt aud man
ifested in favor of the Repeal of the act OF
the Union By the People of Ireland and
their brethren here is natural and right
Bat a suspicion of insincerity follows the na-
tive-born American citizen, who belrays more
than a conventional and cuSlimary sympathy
for the people of a land SO remote, and with
whom be is connected by none of the A-nd:
of immediate consequently.
Advocacy that is suspected Of insinceriiy
Injuries any cause Hence it is that, thougt
received as a friend OF liberty in Ireland,
have never pleaded their cause with half the
zeal or effoft, that we are accustomed to put fortI
even in support Of measures Of mere admin
~istration at home. Il letter here and there
brought forth by inquiries that could not b.
disailowed constitute all my advocacy for Iris
Repeal, except that by once or twice presid
ing at what are called Repeal meetings
gave to the cause the sanction of my namt
and character, as does the respectable citi
zen in the chair on the present OCCASION
And yet the unmoyed masses around m
have marked even this cautious sympathy a
exceeding the bounds of moderation. Iris
born citizens of Uticai such consideration
as these induced me TO decline the honor {
meeting you a year ago-then the Revolt
ton in Ireland seemed to be advancing raI
idly and surely 10 u successful and gloriOu
consummation. Then The American peopl
held or seemed TO hold their adopted brett
~ren born Ireland in due respect and cot
sideration. You and your country had a,
vocates, defenders and orators enough ar
to spare. But a reaction has come whit
has covered you with confusion and sadnes
Within a few months a portion ofthe Anne
lean community, men, women and cbiIdre
were compelled by American citizens to fe
from burning dwellings at nighttime, al
found their way TO the woods aud Fslds
the light of the flames which consumed n
only tbeir dwellings but also their librarie
their hospitals, their churches and their alta
The offence was that they or their anccasto
were born in Ireland. and that they worshi
ped God according to the creed and ritz
of the Roman Catholic ChuEch-and II
has happened in the city that was found
by W,n. Penn, and endowed by Benjan
Franklin-in The city where the Declarati
of American independence was promnlg
ed, ard where the American Constitut.
was established
The great wrongs, the outbreak of lor
Cherished .eiigicus aud political iniolleran
we're not liz most fearful and alarming IN
dent. EnbtlIened by popular folbearant
the spirit &C prescription has approach
Congress with a demand for the full disff;
chisement in America of all men not born