The Portland daily press., 1863-11-23
Our Irish Population.


ent from those which pass for such in our
country at the present writing. Upon the
other side Of the Atlantic, Democracy means
something and embodies vitality and energy
which are struggling hard to stem the tide
Of despotism and to overthrow the power OF
all aristocracies that trampe upon the rights
of the people. There it does not believe in
the divine right of Kings and its true disciples
are earnestly engaged in the glorious work Of
establishing Liberty and Equality among the
people-rights which are Heaven-born and
God-given. Such is the meaning Of Democra-
Gratis are striving with all their might to
trample it under their feet and keep the spirit
of Liberty pressed down SO that it cannot
rise. They act as if the people came into this
breathing world with brides in their mouths
and saddles upon their backs, believing they
ing to do but to mount and ride.
Sorely oppressed by such aristocracy, the
sons of the Emerald Isle, ere the prints of
their shoenails were made upon the sands of
our shores, were taught to believe that rem
edy for their evils might be found in the prin-
Piles of Democracy as they understood and APP
preciated them. With such feelings and inn
pulses they left their own beloved green Isle,
and came to this Western World where they
fondly believed they would find profitable en-
ployment and happy homes, and share the
blessings of pure Democracy. No people
have greater love for Liberty than the Celtic
race, and hence they sought this country as
an asylum from British wrongs and oppres-
sions.
True, they knew human bondage was toler-
ated in portions of the land of the free and
the home Of the brave, but they were cautious
not to migrate to that section of our Union
where the footprint Of the slave had cursed its
soil. The free, and not the slave States, they
sought for homes, and great accessions were
made to our population. The results of Irish
immense amount Of work has been accom-
plished by the pickaxe and shovel. Some have
made themselves rich, others have accumula-
ted a competency, and all have had enough to
eat and wear except those whose industry has
been paralysed by intoxicating drinks which
in too many instances have taken the bread
from their children's mouths and covered their
bodies with rags.
Such being the Irish character and such
their love OF liberty and dread of despot-
ism, it is not strange that they should
take sides with that political party which
claimed to be exclusively democratic. 1t was
the most natural occurrence in the world, and
there have always been political demagogues
enough in our country to foster these demo-
cratic proclivities, blind their eyes and lead
them astray. The reasons that led them to
affiliate with these pretended democrats anu
the means and appliances used to insure such
result, are plain enough and need not be re-
counted. No doubt the second generation of
our Irishmen will be more Americanized and
not SO easily led astray. And We hazard the
opinion that demagogues will not exercise so
much power over the present generation as
they have in years past, and that our natural
lied citizens will break away from the So
called democratic party. The present attitude
OF this political organization greatly favors
such result, and tends directly to open the
eyes of the Irish and set them to thinking for
themselves; and this wicked war which
Southern slaveholding rebels have brought,
upon us will have the same tendency. 1t is a
school in which our Irish population will be
taught many valuable lessons. They begin to
learn already what political party embodies
the true patriotism of the country, and what
would be the condition of the laboring classes
If this government is broken into fragments
and our glorious old flag torn into tatters by
rebel hands and trampled in the dust by slave
holders feet.
An Irshman is patriotic, and will always
stand by his government and country when
he knows that government does not Cypress
him, and that country gives him good home.
Never were q people more thoroughly de-
ceived by demagogues than our Irishmen
were in our last State election. They were
made to believe that Maine would be carried
triumphsntly by the so-caled democratic par
ty, and that if the Union party succeeded the
blacks of the South would flock to the North
and drive the white laborers from the State
or starye them to death; now they see most
clearly that neither OF these calamities has
come upon the people. The negroes, instead
OF coming North, are buckling on Uncle Sans
armor and fighting for that liberty an Irish
man has been taught to prize SO highly.
An Irishman has too much native shrewd-
ness to be deceived many times, and too much
patriotism to forsake his adopted country in
the hour of its greatest peril. We warn the
copperheads of Maine to beware how they
make prophecies that never come to pass, or
promises they never keep. The sons of Ire
land will bear patiently limited burden, but
those who wish for their votes at any election
must be careful not to overload them, as was
the case in our last election. Let copper
heads note this fact. Irishmen don't like to
be beaten. They naturally love victory; and
woe to that party that deceives them and
places them hors du combat. They love to
fight under flag that always waves over the
victorious. Our last election has taught them
lesson they will never forget, and our next
election will show it. Irishmen love to be on
the strong as well as the right side, and they
now know which that side is.
Unexpected Tribute to II. w. Beecher.
Mr.. Beecher, since his return from Europe.