The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-08-19

we commend the following extract
from a letter addressed, number of
years ago, by the great Irish Catholic
orator Daniel o. '0Onnel, to the Irish Re-
peal Association of Cincinnati, on the
subject of slavery. II deserves the con-
sideration Of all ITishmcn, and contains
many points worthy the contemplation of
all men:
AFton tbe CathoHe Telegraph, Ausast 5tb, ls6s
We cannot avoid repeating our aston
ishment that you, Irishmen, should be so
devoid of every trace of humanity as 10
become the voluntary and pecuniarily
disinterested advocates of human slavery;
and especially, that you should be so in
America. But what excites our uncOn-
jquerable loathing is 20 find, that IN your
Address you speak OF man being the
property of man--Of one Human Being
being the property of another, with as
little doubt, hesitation or Tepugnance, as
if you were speaking Of the beasts of
the field IL Is this that fills us with
utter astOnishment. IL is this that ms kes
us disclaim you as eOuntrymen. We
cannot bring ourselves to believe that
you breAtded your natal air in Ireland
Ireland, the first Oiiail nations on earth
that abolished slavery The slave trade
of that day was, euri0usly enough,
slave trade in British youths-Ireiand,
that never was stained with neb,o slave
trading-Ireland, that never committed
an otfense against the men Of colOr-Ire-
land, that nev>r fitted Gu, single vessel
for the traffic in blood on the African
coast,
1t is, to be sure, afIlioting and heart
rending to us to think that so many of
the Irish in America should be so de-
generated as to be among the worst
enemies of the people of color. Alas
alas! we have that tact placed beyond
doubt by the indisputable testimony of
Lord Morpsth.s This is a foul blot that
we would fain wipe off the esCutcheon
of expatristed Irishmen. l'
Have you enough OF the genuine Irish
man leit among you TO ask what it is
that wesreeeirs yoasto dOg aItAisithis:
We call upon you, in the sacred name
of humanity, never again to volunteer on
behalf Of the oppressor, nor even for any
self-interest to vindioate the hideOus
crime of personal slavery.
We ask you TO assist in every way you
can in prOmotihg the education of the
lreemen of color, and in discOuntenanc-
ing the foolish feeling of selfishness-
of that criminal selfshness which makes
the white man treat the mau of color as
a degraded or inferior being.
We ask you 20 exert yourselves in en-
deavoring toprocure for the man of color,
in every case, the benefit of 3 trial by
jury, and especially where a man insist
log that he is a freeman is claimed to be
q slave.
We ask you 10 exert yourselves in
ever possible way TO induce slave own
ers TO emancipate as many slaves as pos
sible. The Quakers Of America, have
several societies for this purpose. Why
should not the Irish initiate them in
tLeir virtue?
We ask you TO exert yourselves in all
the ways you possibly can to put an end
TO the internal slave trade of the States.
The breeding Of slaves for sale is, prob
ably, the most immoral and debasing
practice ever known ia the world. IL is
a crime Of the most hideous kind, and if
there were no other crime committed by
the Americans, this alone would place
the advocates, supporters aud practicers
Of American Slavery in the lowest grade
Of criminals.
We ask you to use all exertions in your
power to procure the abolition of slavery
by Congress in the District OF Columbia.
We ask you TO use your best exertions
to compel the Congress TO reeSiVe and
read the petitions Of the wretched ne
groes, and, above all, the petitions of
their white advocates.
We ask you never 20 cease your efforts
until the OrimesOf which Lord Morpeth
has accused the Irish in America, Of
"b Ing the worst enemies of the men Of
color, shall be atOned for and blotled out
and efaced forever.
You will ask how you can do all these
things2 You have already answered
that question yourselves; for you have
said that public opinion is the law Of
America, Contribute, then, each OF you
! Ia bis sphere, 90 make up that public
opinion. Where you have the electoral
| franchise, give your vote TO none but
those who VII assist you in 80 holy a
struggle.
Under a popular Government, the man
who has right and reason, and Justice,
! and charity, and Christianity itself on
/ his side, has great los rumeats Of legis-
/ lation aud legal power he has the ele-
mrnts about him OF the &c. atest utility /;
! and evep if he ahould not guccsad no nuD