Washington sentinel., 1856-04-08

relations were at very critical juncture2
Was be 10 lecture them upon the wrongs
which they had committed in Ireland, in
America, or in India? No ID was his duty, as
an American statesman, TO endeayor TO soften
down the opposition Of that class SO much
opposed to the extension Of our territory. Was
there anything un.American in thisg He
presented the question in generous form
"You may extend your territory upon the
Eastern Hemisphere, aud We will do likewise
upon the Western. In this extended rivalry
there is no necessity Of quarrel. Now, it is
evident that Mr.. Buchanan's object was not to
extend British influence and power, but to
conquer their objections to the extension of
our own. And if he awakened the English
pride BY an allusion 10 the freedom of their
institutions, TO the effect Of the English Ian.
guage, is he to be accused Of toadyism? Truly
il is late in the day for Mr.. Buchanan to com
mence a course which is so foreign TO his
nature, and which would be such a wide
departure from his career hitherto. 1t cannot
be denied that England herself, at least, what
ever may be the state of Ireland, is free,
immensely free, in comparison with the CONT
nent of Europe. And we would ask our
Irish-American friend, if Mr.. Buchanan had
made a speech alluding, however slightly, 10
the course Of the English Government towards
Ireland, would he have respected him more
would not the absurdity of the thing imme-
diately strike him that it was an impohtic
attempt to win over the Irish yote--would it
not be attacked as buncombe speech, and
insulting to the nation, to whom he was accred-
tied, as sacrificing the interests of his own
country by q vain attempt to make a little
| capital with portion Of our own people? We
do not tolerate the least English interference
in our affairs, and why should Englishmen
be expected to submit to it from us? And
especially would it have been offensive in our
representative at time when he was receiving
the hospitalties Of the country. And if he did
compliment the British people upon their
enlargng their views and of ameliorating the
condition of the people of Ireland, rather than
to sanction the policy pursued by them towards
that country.
The Lish-1merica,a then asks Of Mr.. Buch-
anan: Does he forget the land of his fathers?
Is Ireland blotted from his memory2' We
would ask the gentleman has he forgotten the
career of Mr.. Buchanan, both at home and
abroad, whether as Secretary of State or Am
| bassador to England2 is his course towards the
| Gland of his fathers" blotted from his memory?
| If so, let him review it and see if he can find
| one action, one sentiment, not in unison with
that of the most devoted of American patriots
| to the warmest sympathy with the oppressed
nations of Europe and hatred of all despotism.
| In his official capacity as Secretary of State,
he warmly sympathizes with Ireland in her re-
bellion against the tyranny of the British Gov
ernment. Let the record show. No Irishman,
however prejudiced, could be displeased with
his policy towards Ireland in that struggle
And lastly, in his position as minister he has
never departed from the principles which have
characterized his whole life. Unsustained by
our cowardly and jesuitical Administration,
which has done everything in its power to in
jure his fair fame, he used his influence, and,
after much exertion, finally succeeded in oh.
tanning from the British Government the par.
don and release of Smith O'Brien from exile
and Imprisonment Let that action speak for
itself. He has upon all occasions given his
warrnest sympathy and encouragement to the
Republicans Of Europe, and God knows what
hope that sympathy inspires in the breasts of
those down-trodden people.
Our Hish-American friend should not be so
thin-skinned and yet SO unreasonable. We
have our common wrongs-we have suffered
in common with your native country from the
aggressions Of Great Britain, and compli-
ment to the English language, which we all
speak, Irish and American as well as English
men, should not be construed into an attack
upon Ireland. Let our contemporary consider
the subject in its true light, and he will see no
base aduations TO the British in that speech,
(but rather bold announcement Of our true
policy in reference TO our territorial extension