The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-01-29
The Irish EXiIes.

In the Senate yesterday General CAss de-
livered himself of little universal philan-
thropy, in a speech on certain resolutions ad
and other lrishmen now exiles from their
country for political offences. The General
took the ground that merely political offences
offences against ones government-sre look
cd upon as light matters nowadays; and that
their preparation are more generally re-
garded as merting honor than punishment
We could not help thinking that this was a
most ungracious introduction TO an appeal for
mercy for, however General CAss may be dis
posed to regard offence against the laws or the
Government of his own country, he can hardly
expect that the governments of other countries
will be disposed to pardon infractions of their
laws. on the ground that such infractions are
meritorous.
The speech of the General called forth a
cordial response from Mr.. HALE, who was will
ing to go all lengths, and TO say or do any
thing, reckless Of consequences, whenever there
was question Of sympathy with an Irish ex-
lie in the case, particularly if that exile was an
O'BRrEN. He himself had Irish blood in his
veins, and it seemed that he was disposed TO 90
the resolutions blind, at any time and in any
manner; and. in the ardor of his Irish blood, he
overlooked the material point, to which his at
tentiOn was called by the Senator from South
Carolina.
Mr.. BUTLER expressed sincere sympathy
for the Irish exiIes. and particularly Tor MIR
cHnL and O'BRiEN; but he submitted that il
their msfortunes, or aid them in their extreml-
ties, il could never be by the adoption of such
resolutions as had been offered by General CAss
and spoken TO by Mr.. Hale. The govern
ment Of Great Britain would never consider OF
receive resolutions that accompanied prayer
ior mercy with an attack on her policy, or dis
respectful or denunclatory language. His idea
was, that if the Senate merely proposed to fill
buster a little on general principles, there
would be no harm in adopting the resolutions
Of General Cas-; but If there was a sincere
wish to intercede e!.eclually for the eriles. the
Senate had better think twice before taking
any such action.
This view Of the case struck the whole SEN
ate so forclbly that General SBIELps immedi
stely rose TO suggest that at the earliest day he
would propose an amendment calculated to re-
move the objection of Mr.. BUTLER. without
which he thought the resolutions would GER
tsinly do more harm than good to the cause Of
the eIiles.
The occurrence Of little incident like this
shows how much OF the sympathizing spirit
that prevails in certain quarters may be sttri-
buted TO solicitude for the subjects acted upon.
and how much for the persons acting. Here
WAS General Cas- introducing and speaking TO
resolutions the passage Of which would have
riveted the letters on these unfortunate e1ilcs
and this leading fact entirely escaped his obser-
vation. Now that 1t is pointed out to him, he
see. it, we presume, as plainly as any one else
but 1t is certainly most extraordinary, if his oh
iect WA the release Of the exiles, and not
mere huzza, that he should have been guilty of
such blunder