The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1856-07-23

from the Fair with half dozen p. emiums
in your pocket.
For the Spirit o. Democracy.
The Irish, the Germans, tise An
gEO SaXons.
Mr.. EpIToR:-If the minds of men
could be laid open, perhaps some vestige
of beauty or grace or sublimity would be
found lingering in almost every human
breast. AS the eye of the weary travel
er on the great Zahara, often reverts to
the islands of verdure, which he has left
behind, so these little recolections form
the green spots Of memory on life's dusty
road. Like other men the subscriber has
his fond and early recollcctions. One of
which is the following:
uThe Savage loves his native shore
Though rude the soil ami chill the air,
Then we'll may Erin's sons adore,
! The land which nature formed so fair"
How or why or when or from whom
learned this little stanZa, is 10 me lost in
the night of time. What preeeptor taught
it, or what book. contained it, is utterly
forgotten Casually learned in early IN
fancy amongst the green knolls Of the
"AnciVnt Dominion" it is now treasured
amongst the sweetest of childood's memo
ries. j can even love aud admire n
stronger exhibition of Irish patriotism
than the aLore.
"Oh Erin Green Erin. when Far to the West,
The Miiesians first thee in glory arise,
/ They deemed that some gweet little world OF
the blest,
Had wandered away from its home in the sk;es.n
The Anglo Saxon is character of un-
questionable strength, let it never be found
to fail in generosity We love with cnthu-
siasm every memory of TIC OLD Domin-
ion, of the KY Stoue State. of the land
of the Pilgrims, of the Lorliy Hudson;
then why not regard with kindly sympathy
the exhibition of the same feelings in our
fellow -citizcns of foreign birth. If they
were destitute of such sentiments We might
dread them, they would then te very little
like Ourselves.
Yet it is not to be ,leuicd that appre-
tensions of the immense foreign enigra-
tion arriyin on cur shores, are increasing
in the American mind Sach sentiments
though they may well lie deprecated and
Ideplored, are not to be harshly blamed.
They are supported by some unsuhstantial
appearances which in times of political
excitement contribute to the deluson OF
the popular mind.
/ What are the real facts that ought to
govern our opinions on this delicate SUBJ
Feet? Let it be remembered that the great
body almost the entirety, of our foreign
emigration is either German or Irish.
Now the German nations are our cousins
GERMAN. They possess in q very high
degree hat stability of purpose, that per-
: isistency of design, which has raised the
i Anglo Saxon race to the very pinnacle of
! power and prosperity of wealth and re-
!, nown. We may therefore dismiss oil ap-
prehensions of them as purely chimercal;
and welcome them to our shores, as fellow
laborers, in building up that empire which,
as Adam Smith said as far back as l175,
|ais likely to become the very greatest and
most formidable that ever was In the
world.n
But is there not danger from The Irish
{; man? Is not his character too versatile,
his temper of mindstoo improvident to be
a safe citizen of a self-gorerningr republic
Without the slightest hesitation answer
these questions in the negative. Treat
the Irish with justice and generosity, and
they will become friends and stable sup
Iporters of our political Institutions. How
then do you account for the misery and
poverty of Ireland, for the deadly hatred
between the English and Irish races, which
has SO often manifested itself in scenes
| the most deplorable? History and history
alone unfolds this mystery The solution
1 is found in the fact that England is con-
quering, Ireland a conquered country.
The races have stood to each other in the
inyidious relation of opprcssors and op-
pressed. Foreign domination, a foreign
church establishment, tithes, taxes, ep-
pressions and exactions without end, have
been the curse and bane of Ireland and
the Irish, and have prevented them from
attaining that prosperity. which nature
and natures God designed for them. MOI
. is it intended to cast blame or censure on
the English; such lamentable scenes viii
forever be exhibited, where war and con.
quest have placed one race in the power oi
another. tits impossible to dwellon this
subject; ON immense volume would be in.
sufficient to detail the miseries which have
afflicted Ireland and obscured the good
qualities of her people. Yet ] cannot re-
sist the temptation to make an extract from
the work Of an eyewitness, showing the
operation of a system, of collecting tithes
from the people at large, to support q
tchurcb. which numbers less than one-tentf
Of the population amongst its communi.
caats.