Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1852-05-17
IRISHMEN IN AMERICA

IRISHMEN IN AMERICA.
My Dear SIR Please send the en,losed to
the 'Times" for publication; and if the Wings
will give momentum to the ball which John Cos
tigan, Esq, has just pitched at the head of John
Bull (bad manners to him. it will take no long
time to PROSTATE that mean, degrading anti Anne
rican policy, "Free Trade, and restore those good
old times when an American citizen was not too
niggard to be taxed, (for time,) if need be, a
farthing yard for his cloth, to foster the enter
prise and encourage the industry of his neighbor.
Remembering the undying hatred of the Irish
for their oppressors, let every Wing, FURNISHED
with copy of the enclosed, or something that
Paddy can as we'll comprehend make personal
effort to "open his Pats eyes," and my word for
it, we'll sorely bother the Democrats
Yours truly, E.
The Way for hishmen to Avenge Ireland
Mr.. John Costigan is one of the most prominent
and influential Loco-Foco Irishmen in Albany
At the recent celebration of the festival of St.
Patrick in that city, he expressed himself as fol-
lows:
John Costigan, Esq, being called on for senti-
ment, stated that he had quite recently read in the
Tory London Times the leading Government Or
gan of England, an editorial article on the conse-
quences and effects of emigration from Ireland TO
America, from which he Mr., c. had transcribed
the following paragraph, viz;
when the Cet has crossed the Atlantic he begins for
the first time in his life the manufactures of
this country and indirectly to contribute its CUSTOMS
emay possibly live to the day when the chief pro-
duce Of Ireland will be cattle and English and Scotch the
majority of her population The nine ten millions of
Irish who by that time will have settled in the United
States cannot be less friendly England and will GER
tany be much better customers to her than they
are"
Here said Mr. c. is proof positive and undenable if
any needed ofthe kind of love aud affection which
the British Government bears ireland and rishmen
and the confidence they entertain of holding the United
States as the best market IN the co1ld for their manuac
tured goods. Although he Mr c. had always favored
and supported the doctrine OF Free Trade and low du
ties foreign mporations avowals like the foregoing
made from various British sources he frankly confessed
had worked change in his opinion ON the Free
Trade policy, advocated strongly influential quar-
ters AS an indication of his present views on that
subject he would ask leave present the following sent
ment
"P,otecton to american Industru-The most lepiti
mate and efectua punishment nfAict on John Bull
for his tyranny and oppression to Ireland Let us have
Tariff high enough to exclude the importation of all Br
fish Manufactures.
This sentiment wasreceived by the company with the
most rapturous applause.
Mr.. Costigan hit the nail on the head. The
Union deprived Ireland of the power to protect
uOI oWu anu InAQG nof the held
less victim OF the system which England and Lo-
co-Focoism call Free Trade. Before the Union,
under Irish protective laws, there were Irish WOOL
en- manufactures, Irish carpet manufactures Irish
blanket manufactures, Irish silk manufactures.
Irish calico manufactures, Irish flannel manufac-
lures and Irish stocking manufactures. The Brit
lsh Parliament decreed their ruin. and thew are
extinct 1t decreed that Irishmen should buy
their manufactures sin the cheapest Market
meaning thereby, where they could, for the time
being, be bought for least money, that is in Eng
land, and that Ireland should raise breadstufs and
other agricultural products, with which to paw
them. England was to be the great workshop
and the lrlshman was compelled to be its customer
In short, 1t fastened upon Ireland, by coercion.
the same system which it seeks to fasten upon us
by coaxing. The Loco-Foco party, whenever it
has the power, adopts and promotes the British
system 1t also insists that this country ought to
look to England as its workshop, and in this way
obtain the privilege ofsending its grain across the
ocean to be eaten instead of having it eaten at
home. The Wing party maintains the Ameri-
can Protective policy-the same policy precise
~ as Ireland maintained so long as it had the
power. Before the Union the Irish Parliament
imposed protective duties on many English
woolens, among others duty on English calicoes
and muslins, so high to be nearly prohibitory,
duty ON English silk-duties cotton yarn, cotton
twist and cotton manufactured goods Even in
the act OF Union it stipulated for the continuance
OF the duties on woolens, and several other arti-
ces for twenty yenrs; for the high duties on cali
Goes and muslins till 808, with gradual reduction
afterward, till they should fall to nothing in 1921.
The duties on cotton yarn and twist there in like
maner continued till 1908, with a provision for
their gradual reduction after that time till thew
fell to nothing in 1916.
But when Ireland, asdeprived by British mis-,
rule of home market for its farm products, and
was forced to send them across the channel to be
eaten in England, the Irish growers became 80
poor that they We're no longer able to be custo
mers to the English workshop. The Times states
this fact IN the passage quoted by Mr.. Costigan-
'When the Celt has crossed the Atlantic he be-
gins, for the first time IN his life, 10 consume The
this country'-Engand.
They are so plundered and impoverished under
this system, that existence in Ireland is no long
er possible A depopulation of the Island begins.
which has taken off not only the natural increase
of prolific people, but left 1,659,33O souls less
in 1851 than in l641. They are flying from British
Free Trade at the rate of thousand n day. but |
the system pursues them over the waves Free
Trade, by its organ, the Times, exults in the
of the day, 'swhen the chief produce tn
Ireland will be CATTLE and 1.-The or 10 millions of
Irish, who by that time will be settled in the TT.
States, will be much better customers to ENGLAND
than they now are" The exile can no LONGER be
made to wear a collar, visibly branded with the |
words, patrick the Celt born thralI of Cedric |
lie Saxon," but Free Trade cries after him, "Pat-
rick the Cet, born customer of John Bull-Pat-
rick the strong worker, who can no longer extract
Iood enough from his native fields to make him
desirable customer but is suffered to cross the At