The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-11-02

There is not the least doubt thst : very
considerable number of American citizens are
at this moment openly enga9e3sss lgryiav tw
against her MAiesty, and it is not for wAhe of
will that their efforts are so impotent. These
men are not the agents of foreign power
they are themselves principals IN the enter
prise, and their avowed design has been to
conquer Ireland from America, just - Eng
land was conquered from Normandy. And
their operations have been carried on in broad
daylight, and reported in the papers hor
have they always provoked unfavorable COM
ment from the organs of American public
opinion. The governments of England and
the United States are on the best possible
terms with each other, and yet recruits ara
enlisted BY thousands on the soil Of the United
States for an expedition. to Ireland, not only
without disguise, but with degree of bra
vsdo, half American and half Irish, that ID
almost comicAl. sH
knowing the peculiarly of American in.
stitutions, remembering the embarrassment
under which President johnson is laboring "a
reconstruct the Union, aud having confidence
in his desire to remain in amity with this coun-
try, we act wisely as well as courteously in
abstaining from any serious remonstrances
against the apparent federation Of American
Fenianism. All that we claim in return is Z
like consideration for the circumstances which
made it impossible for us 70 check entirely the
building Of confederate cruisers in our own
ports 1t Was not SO much the want of a more
stringent foreign enlistment act that bafiled
our efforts, as the extreme di6iculsy OF ap-
plying any law that would be endured by Z
free and high spirited people to cases which
so nearly resembled the legitimate transAe-
tons of commerce. 1t is easy TO descant On
the injury inflicted on American commerce BY
. single vessel like the Shenandoah, but nc
one has yet pointed out what form Of enact
meut would have enabled the crown to ascer
tain her destination and lay an embargo upon
her in the dockyard. The same csa hardly
be nid Of the Fenian enlistments IN America.
They are ostensibly illegal from first to laze,
and have mot the adTantege Of any CONNER
ciAl disguise or prsto1 whaGeser. If they
occasion Us much less c6u0ern than the rar.
ages of the Aiabsna and her consorts did the
Ameeicans, this is because our hold on Ire
land Is 100 firm to be shaken by any fillihus.
tering agitation. But then. for this very rea.
son, they are without the least semblance o
justification, for nothing could even colorabl3
Justify them but the deep and deliberate aver
sion of the Irish people from connection with
Great Britain. Fenianism. We would fain be-
lieve, is the last reductio ad absurduns o1
irlsh rebel IONS, Out the damage which IL hA
| already done in retarding the progressive im
provemept of Ireland. must be measured In
| millions Of capt. Il repeIled and the work o.
years undone. This is no light grievance, bu
| we have made no complaint, while the Amer
| lean press is never tired of accusing us as q
nation of completely with the crimes of Capt
Semmes and Capt. Waddell. Even this in
justice we are willing 10 bear with perfect gooc
humor, and only entreat our critics TO ash
themselves, in all honor. how they wonld fee
lf they were TO hear of volunteers musterins
in myriads on the Canada frontier. for in
stance, and before the eyes Of the Canadian
authorities, for the invasion of the United
| States?