New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-01-27
z,fg mitchell.

s.~erT 1t is the grinding over Of the oli gfst Of pro
,.sreyy arguu rtaon, vhicf1he country has enjoyed
al sGlsear fr twenty years. John Mitchell himself j.
v,v fe,h in tie controversy but lis arguments are
scr, stale 10 follow hin in their reiG,stOa would be
lie bre Efrc n b. ks Of IN eiidce already razsi to
FL. foundations. lie fsys nothing On the general argl
ueut tat bas lot been hundred times said and :
thousand times replied to.
Nr. Mitchell evidently feels the hateful nature OF his
pcriticr and admits that it seems harsh AMI incon
sistept for Lin en exile from oppression at home, to
hmm AZ tie rst bound after he touches shores, in
to tie ranks Of the op2relsor. In truth, it not only
cams 30, but it s so. It is spectacle which shocks
every true friend Of liberty, and freezes the sympathy
Of every generous lesrt toward that cause Of which
John Mitchell has been considered leading champion.
Never were joyful feelings so suddenly quenched j;
never we're glowing hopes aud aspirations 80 quickly
melted into thin air. rs have been those Of the genuine
friends Of Europesn freedom far as they !slate 20
tie career Of the Editor Of The Citizen Ut one fatal
stroke be las severed himself from every advocate Of
Irish emancipation in this country, whose sympathy is
IN tie least degree vial at all worthhaving He viii
soon fnd if lie have not already made the discovery
Tat more decided &C; Of flo dc was never perpe
I t1ated Those into wlose hands he has cast himself
/ and among whom lie bas chosen to take mp his
abode, LIE will find frigidly conservative. He has
/ gone from the living TO dwell among the dead
His own soul will be chilled with the corpsslke con
tact 10 will everywhere experience. Does john
Mitchell doubt this Ii be could but speak into exist
ence to-day another meeting in NewYork 70 sympa-
tli.e with Lin, he would doubt no longer
II was to have been supposed from m Mltchers
] =. a
lie would have gone forward upon TIA: broad platform
ofunyerssl emancipation, wtereon every true reform.
er ond every consistent friend Of liberty can aione
stand In falling to Justify this anticipation be has dis
closed radical defect IA his mind and character
which is fatal to oil expe ,taton Of usefulness Tor
him IN this country. lie las at one step descended %
level from which III, voice will never more bo heard
From being enc Of the front in rhe ranks OF )liti
cal Progress he Las fallen 70 the rear, if in
deed he has not quite gone over 10 the enemy. We
ament the loss Of a soldier who cheered By such
promise as WAS hs. But the loss is mainly his own.
The ranks close, tie grand procession moves on and
tie void is quickly forgotten.
Nj Mitchell Las evidently never though; profoundly
uTon the great subectsof Government or human rights
# bis views OF oppression had not been Of the most mar
row and f1agmentay description he could never have
uttered bin self as be Las done in regard 70 Afrlc
slavery. If he Lad broad and sympathetic nature
in had ever considered upon what his own claims
tor Irish Independence rested he could not have har
bored the atrO.ious wish lie has expressed. Vas il
The right Of hnself and HE cOnfedeFstes TO rule Ire
land that he has been contendng for Did he merely
desire 10 ri orse tie Brton from the neck Of his
happy country, that he might spring into the saddle
- Iao
was not oppressed BY his. rule, ttat M. Mitchell re-
be.lcd 90 fe-cely' II would seen Itappears that
Mr.. Mitchell does nc. think it at all improper-nay,
rather lie Il Inks it highly laudsble to enlave certain
class Of agricultural labOrers May we not fairly infer
that he desired nothing better than bitter servuie FOR
the peasantTy If his native land Aud shall not
believe that he considers its poverty. doomed mil
lions, dwelling in ignorance aud misery, Ct fO-
the rule of the tyrant and tie lash of the
Ter Such would seem to DO Lis true position
But, whatever his Acknowledgements might be this
head it is plain that man more unfit than lie could
have beer found for the position Of leader in coun
try struggling to be free. And Ireland may well
to lament that her efforts under lis leadership were
vain Even If Bis heart was right with respect TO her
emancipation, there can be no longer doubt that
his head too feeble and shallow for so great task
No binder guide, Judging from existing evidence ever
offered himself to lead the blind.
Mr. Mitchell introduces and scanlalizes two great
men Of our revolution by tie declaration that they
occupied tie same position wi h himself in respect
to slavery. How untrue the assumption They fOual
themselves in rebellion against the British Gov
eminent while in possession Of slaves inherited
from their .orefathers. But in enancisting the
great doctrines Of freedom for themselves, did they
eOat over the bondage of their iellOw-men, AMI
prize the luxury Of keeping them in chains Did
they, join Mitchell has done, declare slavery to
be no wrong and peccadillol' Did they take
pleasure in the holding Of slaves and desire fresh
plantations of fat negroes Shades Of our Ieyo-
luticnaIy fathers answer! Where cau be found more
pointed and eloquent condemnation of the iuquiy and
evil influences Of African slavery than came FROM the
zen Of Jefferson Did lie not characterize it ia Ian
guage which TO this day furnishes texts TO every
Aeoionis, And IS not tie testimony Of the inmOr-
tal Father of hrs country in regard to the institution
clear and ex pcit The evidence lies broadcast over
eyeIypage OF our revolutionary history, that those
founders OF this republic who were Southern men
Themselves deplored slavery. deeply felt i,s gOandng
influences upon tie spirit Of liberty everywhere, and
earnestly desired aud took 70 accomplish its
abolition Let not John Mitchell then deceive himself
or attempt deceive others, by pretending that he is
as far advanced in his ideas OF human liberty as were
the hereditary Shareholders OF North America three
quarters OF s century ago. Tie cannot make good even
such pretensiou. And above all let him not SANDER
such men as jefferson snd Washington 10y the attempt