Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1855-12-20
1flistellanrolls acaoinp.
Irish Emigrant Aid Society:

Ter, was its President After a three days
session, which was intended TO be secret, but
the proceedings Of which were regularly repor-
ted in the New York Times, the Convention
has adjourned sine die. We have looked over
its proceedings and address for the purpose oi
arriving at the objects Of the association, We
now End it to be an organization of lrishmer,
who are banded together for the purpose Of
making descent upon Ireland or some part
Of Great Britain, when the time arrives that
they think something can be done to restore
what they are pleased to call Irish nationality.
1t is said that at least 5000 armed men are
banded together, and are ready TO march. on a
moments notice, to the attack upon Great
Britain. The address dwells upon the wrongs
of ireland, and the probability that in the con-
vulsion now going on in Europe the lime will
soon arrive when Irishmen, at home and a.
broad, by combination, by forgetting ancient
feuds and religious prejudices, by ignoring the
division into Catholics and Protestants, may
strike for the independence and nationality OF
Ireland, and again establish themselves as a
power in the world.
This dream Of Irish nationality, though d
very natural one. is and will be nothing but an
idle fancy. 1t will never be consummated.-
There are not the elements of nationality now
in existence in the Irish character, Many OF
her sons are brave. They have genius. They
are ardent and enthusiastic But they have
not that unity of purpose, that personal integ-
rity of character, that backbone, to use a new
but very expensive phraze which are essential
to give them even the hope OF success The
man who has studied the Irish character, and
who is familiar with the history of Irish tur-
moils and feuds before the absorption of that
country by Great Britain, and the various ef'
forts at revolution since that time, must be per-
fectly convinced that all further efforts are
vain, and worse than useless. 1t is asked
where is the weak point of Irish character?-
Let US answer the question by quoting SEN
t.nce from the address of this Irish sssocia
lion.
'The very men upon whom, it is said, you
relied as forlorn hope for the last seven years,
have abandoned the country in dispair; those
who you most trusted have sold your interests
for places in the Government, seats on the
bench, and silk gowns at the bar. and when
you Indignantly reprOach them with their
treachery, they deign no other answer than to
clink the gold they have accepted for the infar
nous barter. A few years ago you boasted of
such advocates as Keogh, Sadlier, Fitzgerald
and Deasy. Where are they now? On the
side of your prosecutors
And so it has ever been, The British govern
ment has ever known all the secret plottings of
the dscontented, even in their most secret as
sociations. Some man among them would be
selected ,and the cluk of the gold has uniform
aly bought over the most ardent of them TO
be traitors to their friends and to their coun-
trv. 1t will be so in future. In this very
meeting of Irishmen at the Astor House, a
prominent member objected to Mr. Mc'Clene-
han, the editor Of the Citizen, and hoped he
would not be allowed seat in the @ nven-
ton because he was traitor, and would be
closeted with the British Consul, within two
hours after the adjournment, and would tell
him Of every thing that had transpired. This
may have been false charge, but it shows
what confidence these men have in each 9TH
er's integrity. Can movement that is to
wrest Ireland from such a power as Great
Britain be consummated by such men? New
er.
Another prominent and insurmountable oh.
stacle in the way Of the restoration Of Irish ma
tionality is, the bitter religious feuds and
preiudices Of her people. The Catholics and
the Protestants never have acted together in
that country, and there is no hope that they
ever will, But we did not design to be betrav-
ed into an essay on this subject. 1t is too
broad aud diversified for a casual newspaper
article. We have only one additional point to
which to call attention. This association is a
secret body. It is band Of foreigners, in
this country. bound together by oaths and
pledges to foment and assist revolution in ano-
ther country. with which We are at peace. -
1t is eminently political secret society. Now,
we do not say that il is violation of our laws
for them to thus associate, bu. we suggest to
our Locofoco brethren who are so much op-
posed to secret political societies that here is
body offoreigners banded together in our midst,
who boast that they have 5000 armed mem
bers, ready for service at any moments warn
ing Why are they not denounced as danger
Gus to the peace and quiet ofthis counhy?-
Who is so ignorant as not to know that the rea
son is, because all these Irishmen vote the
regular Locofoco ticket, and are regarded as