Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-11-26
LETTER OF W. SMITH O'BRIEy,
To Thomas Francis Meagher,
ON THE WAR IN AMERICA.
Dublin Oct 81 1af1


a, Dublin. Oct. 81, 1861.
Mf DEAR MEAcHER-l have read with
much interest the speech recently deliver
ca oy you al boston and though admire
It's iervld elnquence, and agree with many
OF me sentiments which it contains,
diner altogether from the conclusions which
you endeavor to enforce. am. therefore,
prepared to break lance with your argu-
ment and to contend that the Irishin Amer
lea ought to appear as mediators, Instead Of
being participators, in the fratricidal strife
which is now desolating the fairest portion
OF the Western Hemisphere
1 am not, indeed surprised that you have
taken up arms IN defence OF the Constitu-
ton ana OF the Union. When first heard
1 me ATTACK made by the Southerns upon
I VI ~H;H r. Z <e'< ~ ~ bod becr 1Ire<<
idebt o. sts fcsz sho1l1 have said to
myfeif-Since the S0uiherns appeal 10
arms we must not shrink from the struggle
we wil not yield to force what we might
have been willing to yield to negotiation. 4"
Tins was the first impulse which excited
the dormant passions OF the North, and il
Is so natural an impulse that it cannot be
said 10 merit condemnation. Had the
N'i.nerns obtained any marked advantages
III Tue present war they might have been
Ieauy 70 listen 10 mediation, but pride now
iu'ercep'S tne voice OF reason, OF humanity,
ana even OF sell interest
iou Dave denounced as "conspirators"
au. p'oPasAnuists OF batlonal dIshonor
anu Vi batIonai ruin those americans who
ausVca'e peace. Ihese terms can scarcely
apply " me- snougn 1 am an advocate OF
peace' 90 iar am from ccnspiring
asaimsl .ne uhlIy Oh the Treat Republic Of
.ne "ee'' 'nA' no event "nich mas occurred
" ,o'S" eounefies ever occasioned to me
90 ,ne inscription oil the
!'sa ouion anu 'hlS sorrow has been
,o'enoiu1u "neu na'o observed the de-
,ish' WIN which me enemies OF the bepub
~ 10 anu SiOa'eu over the events
~ III" "pP'"- " 'eHU ie0ohciiiation lmpos
Neither can consider myself ga propa-
gandist of national dishonor and of national
ruin" when urge the statesmen of Ameri
ca, as well as my own low countrywen.
to put an end TO this frhtricidsl war nv
mutual forgiveness and mutual concessions
which shall avert national ruin Eitbout
compromising the honor of either of the.
contending parties.
/ shall not take upon myself to dste, min.
whether the North or the South has hser
m )st to blame in regard Of the ininrie-
examinations, and recriminations winch
have brought the North and the Syuth itto
collision. Every one who reads your
speech, must observe that Won have MT
fairly stated the case of the Soutberns. I'm,
even If il be admitted that thew were mo-,
justified in appealing to arms. we ougbt tu
consider calmly what will be the eventual
issue of this contest.
Let us first coptemplate the cousa IN
which success shall have crowned the eff
orts of the Uuionists, aud that Cbarles,o,,
Augusta. Savannah, Montgomery. NobiIs
Memphis, and New Orleans shall be in nos
session of the Federal troops.
Will such a conquest tend TO reconcila
the SOutherps to acquiesence in the Union ?
Does not the whole course of history
snow that a conquered nation can be Kept
Ia suDJectioh oniy Dy me same means by
"hieh u was conquered
AT the END oil the struggle the minds Of
the Southerns VIII be more exasperated
against the Northerns than they were at its
commencement. 1t Will, therefore, become
necessary to Keep the South III subsection
ny the iorce oil aTms-by the means which
Russia uses In Poland and which Austria
uses IN ipaiy l nave recently passed
through that llt'ie angie Oh Italy which still
remains suHJect 10 austria. Cannot state
the exact number OF austrian troops which
are employed 10 retain 1t IN subsection, but
l nave reason 70 know that more THAI thir
" ti"usanu AUSTRIAN s2;uiers are now
quaftereu III 'ne Town Vi 'ernoa al me, and
tha' the otner austrian garrisons In Italy
upOu eCTle prODOrtlOOute
W .n'e hunloer.
nave you est,uiateu what NUMBER oil men
VIII oe required 10 Keep IN suDJectIon ter
itorJ whlch is nearly as large rs the whole
oil Europe OF what VIII be the annual ex-
pence imposed upon the Union by The
maintenance Oh such iorce!
Lave you CONSIDERED the probable opera
ton Of TINS system oil military government
upon the conquering and the conquered
States oil tue Union
~ you oe.'e'e II possioie 70 maintain
hePuolGHh torn Vi government In the cOu
quereu states.
III representative institutions be allowed
su's'S'' wiz no' 'ne u'scob'eh' Oh con
queIeu people peaA out' no. only 10 impa-
.'eu' mul ai .u 2u: :" Perps1usi EFFORTS 10
o. IL 80 " '"e O"ioh
y. .ne o.ue' "a' o. you prepateu 20
uoui'"eei we, 'e" ni'iions Oi people ana
tneif oe-eehpsh's throughout all time by
tue coercion VI military po%erf
10 you Dehe'e IL possible to maintain
the hepuo'hca' INSTITUTIONS OF the Norta
eoncurrebuy WIN tue maintenance ol .
standing army consisting OF hall a million
oil SOLDIERS VINO must necessarily be plac ed
OF tne disposal oil an executive chiei
ihese "ll We the results OF an Issue oil
the present contest, which shall be iay0ra-
bic to the Northerns.
Let us now contemplate the remaining
ana more ProoaOie ALTERNATIVE, Already
tins unhappy war has destroyed the power
and presnge0 OF the hepnohc, IN It's rela-
tions to ioreign Staies. Not England alone,
but even toe fecoDd-class powers OF
Europe, can insult with impuDity the divi-
ded Republic OF the West. The warfare