The Portland daily press., 1864-03-05
our Naturalized Citizens.

We are glad that our naturalzed citizens
are beginning to get their eyes opened to the
base uses which wire-pulling politicians would
make of them. In Ward 4, where this class
Of voters constitute the strength of the Ward,
a few copperhead leaders of the native stripe,
studiously ignore them except when they
want their votes, seldom or never allowing
one of their names to appear on their ballots.
Feeling the indignity, and becoming sensible
that the managers only wished to make OF
them "hewers of wood and drawers Of wa
ter" they have asserted their independence OF
such leadership and nominated full ticket Of
their own men. The Argus sees trouble, and
says sunless there is purpose to give this
Ward to the Republicans Union party this
matter should be arranged"
1t is a most mysterious thing that the Irish
portion of our naturalized citizens should
consent to affiliate with the so-cslled Demo-
cratic party in its present degenerate condi-
ton. They love liberty, while the falsely
styled Democrats are the only champions of
slavery. They are of the working classes,
while the mis-named Democrats sympathize
with the Southern doctrine that capital should
control labor by the capitalist owning the la
borer. The natural condition OF the laboring
man, says high Southern democratic authori-
ty, is that of slavery, be he white or black.
The Irishman loves to be in the. majority
The Democrats, falsely so-called, by their ig-
noble pandering to the slave interests have fall
en- into miserable minority in nearly every
portion of the Free States. We say to Irish-
men that the democracy of Andrew Jackson
and of Thomas Jefferson is not found in the
party now styling itself Democratic. We
say to them that party leaders have cheated
and are still laboring to cheat them. We say
to them that well-informed Irishmen like
Meagher and Quincy, no longer lend them
selves to the Copperhead faction, but ignore
it as they would the most arrant treason. So
did Corcoran; and so do all patriotic Irish
of this rebelion-this attempt to subvert a
free government to establish a slave oligar-
chy-and learn that the whole thing was in
augurated by the Democratic party-the par
ty that nominated and elected James Bu-
chanan-and thus learning they surely will,
like good patriots, array themselves on the
side of the government, and give to il and
those who are laboriag to uphold it, the full
benefit of their sympathy and influence.
The truth is, the aristocratic leaders of the
copperhead party look with contempt upon
the men who delve in honest toll. To secure
the Irish votes they will feign respect for
them, but who Of this class is taken into the
secret councils of the party? Who are put
into places of profit? To how many of them
are posts of honor confided? Are they not,
rather. treated by the party leaders as beasts
of burden, and expected to walk up to the
polls and ego it blind" precisely as a few sill
yer grey, 'musk-scented," "rose tinted" gem
tlemen, who have no other use for Irishmen
than to tend their stables and vote as they d.
rect, shall require, while they fill the posts
of honor and divide among themselves the
"loaves and fishes of office?