The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-11-22
Morning.. November ~.
"The Catholic Irish.o

We nave ncEttoIofc lHtlliidtSu oul uC-
Gefthat Radicalism is Know-Nothingism
revived. We believe that the same big
otry and intolerance which animated
the old Know-Nothing organization are
the leading traits of the Radical party.
We have heard Radical leaders utter the
same sentiments of abhorrence for re-
Irious freedom that were formerly ut
tered by the disciples of the dark Ian
tern. We know Radical politicians who
regard the decitizenizing of the foreign
ers as political necessity, second only
in Importance to negro oenfranchisement,
and we have heard them declare their
willingness to resort to the sword, If
it were requisite, to secure the total ex-
clusion from governmental affairs, ofall
but native born citizens. If any fact
were lacking to prove that the same
bitterness and hatred of foreigners
which marked the KnOw-Nothing
organization have been revived
with Radicalism, the article we
copy from the Richie Press would sup
ply the need. This article derives its
Importance from the fact that the au-
thor, General T. NJ. HARRIS, is repre-
sentative Radical. Occupying o high
seat in the synagogue, he speaks cas- one
having authority" and his utterances
are worthy of consideration because
they indicate the present views and
foreshadow the future purposes of his
party. In making the Catholic Irish
the recipients of his amiable attentions,
General HARRIS charges them, in the
first place, with sympathy for the rebel
lion. This charge we shall not dignity
by a refutation. 1t has been rebutted
by such evidences of loyalty as General
HARRIS has never given. 1t has been
refuted on the battle-fields of III" repub-
lie, and history will probably decide
that the patriotism which perils life and
liberty for government is somewhat
more devoted than that 'intense loyalty"
whose most noted manifestations have
been the persecution and hanging of
women. J
General HARRIS further charges that
the Catholic Misunderstanding in our
cities the most ignorant and degraded
of their population, degraded, not only
by ignorance, but by intemperance and
vicious habits,-always vote solid
against u.s. Our Irish citizens may
very safely leave the defense of their
reputation for morality to the personal
experience of their neighbors, especially
as the assault upon it comes from the
editor ofthe Ritchie Press. His personal
familiarity with ''vicious habits" may
have convinced him of their degrading
influence, but it has given him no right
to vilify a class of our people, whose
habits and practices, whatever they
may be, will probably compare favora-
bly, with his own. But the character
istic of Irishmen, which seems most
severely to gall the General, is the
manner in which they vote. Support of
the Democratic party, "voting against
us" is their high crime and misde
meanOr. While they continue to do
this their IGNORANCE and vicious
habits" should work their disfranchise-
ment, but should they abandon their
lifelong political views, and accept Rad
icalism, them we presume, ,theirignorancc
and vice will be no bar to their
exercising political power. General
HARRIS also introduces the worn-out
Know-Nothing ISLANDERS concerning our
Catholic population and repeats them
with the same bitter bigotry that
marked their original utterance. "Slaves
to the Catholic Hierarchy" "tools of the
priesthood" "their bishops and priests
own them, soul, body and mind" such
are the phrazes in which this red-mouth-
ed representative of Radicalism assails
class of our citizens whose indepen-
dence is proved by the fact that they
cannot be dragooned into the support of
his faction and its measures. The pop
ular belief in the death of Know-Noth-
ingism was mistaken one. That for
Inidable device of the devil still lives,
and its intolerance, its bigotry and
its bitterness have not been abated
by the odium into which it fell.
The concluding portion of the Press
article is particularly note worthy. We
are told that "the loyal people of the
State must protect themselves against
all disloyal combinations and infuen-
ces, and we would suggest that it may
be necessary, as an offsett to the Catholic
vote, to enfranckise the colored imen Of
the State. 1t is true that they are igno-
rant; we fear too ignorant to use this
precious privilege judiciously; but then
they are not whit more ignorant than
the Catholic Irish, as class, and far
less given to drunkenness and disregard
of law. We throw out this suggestion
for the consideration Of our people, con-
stituting as it does the only practicable
way of offsetting the Irish VOTE" 1t
was the constant practice of General
HARRIS, Governor FOREMAN and other
Radical stumpers of the last canvass to
assure us that under no circumstances
would they consent to enfranchise the
blacks of West Virginia. With this fact
fresh in the memories Of the people, we
are now saluted with this lusty cry for
negro suffrage, put up by a favorite
leader and champion of Radicalism-
one whose position in the party gives
his utterances the weight of official au-
thority. The pretext under which the
infamy is to be perpetrated is one that
n