The Placer herald., 1864-12-03
Gen. Meagher's Onslaught on his Country.
men---A Crushing Reply.
(From Correspondence Of the New York "Metro-
poltan Record Oct. 22d, lS64.l

''As for the great bulk of Irishmen in this
county, | frankly confess to an utter disre-
gard, if not a thorough contempt, of what
they think or sly of me in my relations to
the questions or movements that are sup,
posed or designed to affect the fortunes of
this nation or actually do so. To their own
dscredit and degradation, they have suffered
themselves to be bamboozled into being OBJ
stinate herds in the political field, contract.
ing nveterate instincts, following with gross
stupidity and stoniest blindness certain worn.
out pathways described for them by their
drivers, but never doing anything worthy of
the intellectual and chivarous reputation of
their race. Democrats they profess them
selves to be from the slart-the instant the
baggage smashers and cut,throat lodging
house keepers lay hands on them-and Dem
ocrats they remain until the day Of their
deaths, mis-rably and repulsvely regardless
quires through the progressive workings of
the great world about them"
General T. +. Meogher: SIR: The above
is an extract from the valedictory, with which
you take leave of your fellow countrynen in
America, before throwing yourself into the
arms of the Puritan Abolitionisls, who are
to use you as their willing tool and instru
ment. No wonder these fanatics of the
Nor,h who have ever been the relentless
enemies Of the Irish race and the Irish faith
are copying, with hearty qusto, this vile
slander from your envenomed pen. In the
party to which you have united your for
tunes, you will find orators and writer's who
can vie with you in abuse aud viuperation
of the Irish people. Take for instance your
contrere Of the atlantic Monthly, one of the
most respectable organs Of your party, and
hear what he says;
"The eman"ipated negro is at least as in,
pride in self support is far more eager for
education, and has fewer vices. 1t is impos.
sib'e to name any standard of requisites for
the full rights of citizenship which will give
a vote TO the Celt and exclude the negro"
And now, forsooth, because the Irish cit,
zens of this country will not tollow you into
the ranks of party who holds such senti-
mens as these, you have the unb'ushing ef-
trontery to stigmatise them as obstinate
herds in the political fed-foIowng with
gross stupidity and the stoniest blindness,
certain worn.out old pathways described for
them 10y their drivers"
Now, sir, it was not long ago when these
"herds" were the objects Of your most fu-
some hattery, but then, you and your agents
were driving them by your entcing pacards
into your lecture rooms, where you pocketed
their quarters and half dollars. They lis
tened with gross stupidity" to your stale
and slereotyped lectures, and, though by
doing so, they ''did nothing worthy of the
intellectual reputation of their race" they at
least repleled your exhausted treasury, and
enabled you to move in broadcloth and fine
linen in the fashionable saloons of the city
of New York
As an adventurer, sir, you entered into the
fratricidaI contest now going on in this coun
try. Upon your arrival in this city with
your company, you declared you "were
forced into the position you then occupied
hy the pressure of circumstances" and after
a brief experience on the tie d OF battle you
returned to this city. and in the presence of
friends who distinctly remember the solemn
nifty of your manner on this occasion, you
swore that "you never would again unshealh
your sword against your Southern friends
and that when you returned to Washington,
it would be to greet jeff Davis as President"
Whether from the pnchings of poverty
(you had given up lecturing to the "herds')
or from the promptings of patriotism, you
changed your mind, and like another Peter
the Hermit, you travelled through the North
backed 10y the money and the power o! the
Administration, and everywhere you appealed
to your counlrymen to come forward and
aid you in raising an Irish Brigade, and thus
enable you to wear the star and sport the
salary of brigadier general How sue
cesstully you "bamboozled" the poor Irish of
the North, and "wilh stony blindness and
gross stupidity" they followed your councils
let the bloody fields of South Mountain. An-
letam and fredericksburg testify. Look
back over the graves of these, your devoted
victims, and listen to the cries Of their wild
ows and orphans. Then, sir, if you have
within your bosom spark of manly feeling,
which has not been scared by the corruptng
patronage of the power, in whose sunshine
you are now basking, you will wish that your
right arm had been paralyzed before It had
penned the vile and infamous SANDER which
| have placed at the head Of this letter.
Your denuncialon of the lrishmen of this
country on accoun, Of their adherence to the
Democratic party, while it marks the base
ness of your ingrattude, is worthy Of neo-
pbyte's zeal in the cause of Puritansm anI
Aboitionism. Sir, your countrymen are
devoted to the Democratic party, because the
Democratic party is and has been devoted to
the Union. All the renegades that can be
purchased by gold or brbed by patronage
cannot shake their devotion to that glorious
old party. In days gone by an Irishman-a
great mana man possessing more brains
than you aud all your Young Ireland party
put togelher-attempted to interfere with
the opinions of his countrymen here on the
question of slavery. They rejected his inter
ference with disdain and indignation.