Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-12-02


oiuon, could be founded upon the introduce
ton o. such elements into the consideration Of
tnis question. Let us suppose that, in lIe2.
the Irish patriots had learned that instead of
the amicable adjustment which then took place
by concession OF the demands OF Ireland. the
british ministry bad appointed Lord Lieuten-
ant in Ireland, who would undoubtedly have
hlled all official stations with Enelslmen, or
with lrishmen who we're opposed TO the nation |
al Interests. would Meagher have reproached 4
them II they had made the appointment ofsuch I
a Lord Lieutenant easus belei, and had suhjec \
ted 20 the arbitrameft of the sword the ques 4
tons that were then at issue between England /
and lrelaDdl Neither is Mr.. Toombs TO he /
blamed for having taken into account this ele /
ment IN considering the relations between the /
Southern and Northern States OF America
Equally unreasonable are the rearoaches with 1
which the Southerners have been assailed. because
at the time OF the secession they took posses l
sion Of the forts and arsenas which were situated
in the Southern territory. Those forts and ar /
. sinals belong much 10 the Southerners As to
the Northerners, and the secession naturally 4
gave 20 the Northerners the arsenals and dock /
yards which were situated in the Northern 4
States, so il gave to the Southerners those
which situated in the seeding States Ii I
the Irish Instruction OF 1915 had been success /
full, would not General Meagher have laughed TO
scorn any one who should have reproached him |
for taking possession Of Spike Island, because il
was called by the English British fortY Fort
Sumter stands in relation to Charleston in po- |
sition exactly similar TO that which is occupied
by Spike Island in relation to Cork
Let it not be supposed however, that write
these pages with a view TO justify the secession.
When | made a tour of the Southern States OF
North America, in 1889 / earnestly implored my
Southern friends TO ren0unce the idea of a seplr.
alton which could not fail 70 be disastrous to
them well as to the whole of the Republic
When | learned that instead of endeavoring TO
obtain redress for their real or ina ginary grew
ances by peaceful negotiation, the forces OF South
Carolina had fired upon Fort Sumpter, thought
il extremely natural that the Inhabitants of the
Northern States should meet force by force in
maintenance of the Uniun. Mr.. II. w. Beecher
asked an auditory in London last week. whether
Englishmen would or ought TO tolerate the Sc
cession of Kent from the political unity which
now holds together the several counties of Eng
land. / answer without hesitation that such
secession ought to be prevented by force whilst
Kent enjoys equality OF rights with the other in
habitants of Britain; and though / maintain.
speaking theoretically, that South Carolius, or
Maine, ENJOYS right to Withdrew from the Union,
yet practical question, il is not unnatural that
the other members of the United States should
endeavor to pre-ent by force "A secession which
may be injurious to the whole Union. Blu. since
been seen that what appeared at first to be the
within OF single State, is the deliberate resolve
of several millions of people-snce il has been
seen that though contending under many difficult
ties and disadvantages, the Southern leaders
have displayed more able states manship and more
skilful strategy than have been exhibited bv their
adversaries--when il is manifest that they pos
all the qualifications which render a people
fitted for self-government--an attempt to coerce
them into enforced subsection becomes netting
less than unjustifiable and intolerable tyranny.
AT the time when, in 1861 | addressed "A letter
on this subject to Dir. Seward. it was said by the
Northerns that the war would be terminated in
three months-yet now after the lapse of thirty
months, it is doubtful whether Washington is
not exposed to greater danger than is to be
apprehended by Richmond or Charleston: and
although the Northerns hold military occupa
ton OF many important posts III the Southern
territory they do not appear TO have recon
ciled to their dominion any important section
of the inhabitants of the revolted States. The
question, therefore, recurs which | put to Mr.
Seward in lo6l-assuming that you will sooner
or later conquer the Southern States, how DO YOU
propose to govern them! If YOU leave to them
the rights of self government, which they have
hitherto snjoyed. they will be more dangerous TO
you as unwilling associates than they could be in
the guse of open enemies There remains
therefore, no other policy by which these terrific
ries can be governed except that which was for
merly adopted by England toward Ireland-and
which is now practiced in Poland by Mouravief
and Berg under the sanction and approval of the
tyrant Alexander. This is the policy of confs-
cation, devastation, and of determination. That
lean and hungry adventures should covet the
rich possessions of ihe Southern planters, and
urge forward system OF conhscatlOn and exter
mnatOn which will resemble the plantation Of
Ulster and the crueltes OF Cromwell, is extreme
~ natural but, IL Is spectacle painful and hu
initiating TO all lovers of freedom to find one of
the representative men of the Irish rdce-himsef
an exile and a Catholic-vindicatng course of
policy similar to that which expelled the natives
of Ireland from their possession and from their
homes
have spent much time in analizing the letter
of General Meagher because although it is ad
dressed TO private friend, il was evidently writ
ten as an appeal to the public opinion of this
country Though it is overaden with cumua
tive epithets of declamatory invective, il is
production which has evidently been prepared with
care, and deserves deliberate response In
this respect II contrasts fayOrably with an eiec
ton squib recently addressed to Mr. Mea CHER to
the electors of Ohio in opposition to the claims
of Mr. Vallandigham, in whose person all the
rights which belong to free citizen have been
violated. Sad, indeed, is il TO me to find that
our comrade, who was once the champion OF hu
man liberty. has enlisted himself the defender
of every sort OF tyrannical usurpa,ion-Thomas
Francis Meagher, the young tribune. once the
champion Of his country's freedom has become
advocate of a system of government which
carries into effect IFS policy.
BY suspending the writ OF hebeas corpus. and
thereby susDending the personal liberty of every
citizen of the United States ut The caprice of a
single ruler or OF his minions
BY cOercing into the ranks of the Federal
army through the instrumentaity of conscrip-
ton, all who cannot afford TO purchase their de
lverance by an enormous ransom: and bv driv
ing. under the terrors of military execution. un
willing conscripts into fields OF battle where thew
perish for a cause which is not sanctioned by the
approval of their own consciences
By superceding the rights which. under the
Constitution Of the United States, were guaran
tied TO each individual State
Lastly, by fraternizing with the tvrant of Rus
STA, who is at this moment engaged IL carrying
into effect such system of measures against the
noble Polish nation. as has won for him and
all who abet him the execrsiion of mankind
Alas that We should have ever Witnessed such
back sliding the part of Irish patriot If
such be the result of republican freedom $50
called in America, We shall soon learn to be re-
conciled to the worst forms of European despot
ism.
How different career Law open TO our friend
Possessing the love and confidence of several