New-York daily tribune., 1864-04-08
OUR CITIZENS OF IRrsm BIRTu.

Previous to the Rebellion our citizens of Irish
birth were to be found, almost to man, among
the most active and INSCRIPTIONS Of the Pro-
Slavery propagandists Rejecting, in this respect
if in no other, the teachings of their otherwise
yenerated leader, Daniel O'Connell, they were
in favor of the institution of Slavery, and their
opposition to every party that ayowed any de-
sire to ameliorate the condition of the negro
might be counted upon as a foregone conclu-
sion.
Tor this anomaly-for the anomaly that men
who had fed from tyranny home, should in this
new land of their adoption be in favor OF keep
ing millions of poor and ignorant negroes in
servitude-there were many possible ana some
few plausible explanations. With the lrish
Roman Catholics the religious question has
always been of the first Importance, and they
felt grateful to Thomas Jefferson and the DEM
ocratic party for the " Virginia Resolutions"
by which alone, as represented to them, their re-
lgious equality in the Union had been preserved.
There was also a charm for them in the name OF
Democracy" and there were not wanting
many hundred cunning demagogues in the Pro-
Slavery interest to persuade them that the liber-
alton Of all slaves would ut once bring negro
labor into successful competition with their own
throughout the Northern and all other States
These are but some few of the most prominent
considerations in an endeay0r TO account for the
course of our Irish-bom fellow-eitzens with
regard TO Slavery.
What could not be done with these people by
argument-howeye luminous or paticnt-the
slow teachings of time and the rough schoolings
Of this war are fast accomplishing. All ques-
tions Of religious equality in the United States
were set at rest long ago by the formation and
development Of national Cn0racter; and all
the vexed questions Of the relationship TO be
held between the laborer, foreign-born or native,
and the freed negro, have received their ever
lasting quetus during the past three years. Our
Irish-born ow-citizons fnd-ior few are
quicker to note such matters-that the freed ne
groes of the South do not rush North the mo-
ment they are liberated to enter upon the com.
petition Of the labor market. On the contrary,
even at the dreadful risk OF return TO Slavery
should the war in any part Of its theater go
against us, they remain on the old plantations
in the States Of their birth, laboTing cheerfully
for such wages as may be offered 10 them; or
have taken service as soldiers iii the armies Of
the Union, and this although in addition to the
usual perils of war, their status if taken prison
ers remains still to great extent undetermined,
and they are liable, if captured, TO the caprice
or passions of a brutal aud infuriatcd enemy.
Let us hope, therefore, that the old jealousy
or dislike of the negro viii soon be forgotten
prejudice in the minds Of all classes of our citi
zens; and, indeed that it is fast becoming so in
the minds Of our Irish-bom iellow-citizens, we
have good reason TO believe. Gen. Thomas
Francis Mcagher, name aud q power among
his own people, laa come out openly, frequently,
aud with emphasis in favor Of the employment
Of negro troop. Col. John O'MGhoney, the
Head Center Of the vast organization OF Irish
men known as the Fonian Brotherhood, has
never been a supporter Of Slavery; has never
sighed for an Alabama plantation with "a fine
lot of Eat niggers on it," but has ever and al
opinion that Slavery was a wrong in itself and Of
special dctriment to the Irish race in America,
whom it practically excluded from settlement
as ariculturists in the Southern States. We
all know that most mythical, but still represent
atiye, Irish citizen, Private Miles O'Reilly"
has given us the whole philosophy of negro
soldiers in a song which, as much from its
humor as its argument, at once took captive
the imaginations and convictions Of his witty
and susceptible fellow-countrymen:
"some say 81 Is burnin' shame
To make the naygurs fight,
An that the hrade Of bein kilt,
Belongs but to tho whitei
Bot as for me, upon sowl,
SO liberal wo hero.
III lot SauIbo be murthered In place OF myien
On every day In the year.
On every day In the year boys,
And every hour In the day,
The right to be kilt III divide Wild him,
An divi word III say"
Tho instances of prominent and leading
Irshmen who have accepted the Rebellion as
the termination Of Slavery, and who are willing
to give the negro q share in q war which must
have for one Of its results the improvement of
the negro's condition, might be multiplied in
defnitely-Mr. Richard O'Gorman of this city
being, in fact, the only very notable exceptionto
therule. Senator Johu Conness Of fCalifornia-bc-
yond doubt the foremost Irishman in our public |
lfe-was up to the commencement of the war an
active and Jealous Democrat of the faith Of the
late Judge Douglas, 10 whom physically and in