The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1866-12-01
IRIsHMEN TAKE HEED.


ers against the Irish people, elsewhere as i
America. It is not war of this epoch
is not late day persecution. 1t began i
the old country ia past centuries, and th
seizure, exile, and sale into slavery of Iris
captiVes in the West Indies, by Cromwell
was simply an early out-cropping of the sam
spirit which to- day actuates the New England
descendants of the Puritans of Cromwell
time in their relentless war and malignan
persecution of the Irish in America.
Irishmen cannot but remember that it wa!
| in the administration of old John Adams
when the Federalists held sway in both
branches of Congress, that the wise and just
naturalization laws passed during Washing
toms presidency were repealed, and the time
of probation for the adopted citizen extended
to fourteen years residence; they will not
forget that it was under the Democratic ad-
ministration of Thomas Jefferson that the
present equitable naturalization law was es-
tablished; nor will they fail to bear in mind
that it was one of the chief aims of the in
famous Hartford Convention of 1872, COM
posed of Puritans and Federalists, to remodel
the government so as to lengthen the proba-
tionary term of foreign-born persons desiring
to become citizens, to twenty -one years, with
the proscriptive condition added, that no
adopted citizen or Roman Catholic should
ever be eligible to any public Office of honor.
trust or emolument And to show that in
this, the Hartford Convention Puritans pro-
posed to carry out in general matters what
some of their class already practised in local
concerns, we may cite the fact that the old
Massachusetts PuritanS who framed the Con-
stitution of New Hampshire, incorporated in
that instrument provision, which prohibits
holding OF any Office under the
authority of that State by Roman Catholic,
be he native born or an adopted citizen.
Such was the spirit of the Puritans of New
England towards the Irish and Catholics in
The early days of the Republic. Let US glance
1t the manifestations of their spirit and feel
ngs towards the Irish people in America,
since, and at this day, and particularly to-
wards the Catholic Irish. Agreeably to the
aw, in Massachusetts as well as elsewhere, /
he town or city or county in which mob
damages or destroys property is responsible
or the loss incurred. Yet the Boston City
Council and the Legislature Of Massachusetts.
md her courts even, have severalIy refused
o pay the loss sustained to the Catholic
Jhureh for the wanton destruction by fire, at
he hands of desperate mob, ofthe Convent
n Charlestown some years ago. Had the
'uilding belonged to any other religious de-
domination, or TO any private citizen-not an
rishman and Catholic--we may be very sure
be authorities Of the city would have prompt
y and fully paid the loss to the outraged
uffeIers.
Again, it is not forgotten that before war
7as anticipated, years ago, the authorities of
Massachusetts, ordered the arms to be taken |
rom two volunteer military companies in
oston, composed of Trishmen, and to be
iven to two companies composed of negroes
i the same city. And at the opening of the
tie war, when the belief prevailed in Adolf
on circles that it would require but small
rmy and brief campaign to conquer the
outh, advertisements in the Boston papers
ad appended to them the nota bene No
-ish need apply" But as the war progress
d, and hard Sighting had to be done when
le Puritans who provoked and caused the {
ar discovered that the life of soldier was
erilous, and not all pay and rich pickings
hen they found it to be war in frightfal
arrest and not altogether the place for easy
nployment and enormous perquisites, then
ley failed to enter the ranks themselves, but
ere very glad to receive the crowds of della {
ed Irishmen who believed that to fight in s
lie cause was really patriotic; and when t
lough did not offer, they imported them from '
eland, under promise of steady employment
peaceful pursuits, but took care to press
lem into the army the moment of their ARR. $
Al on New England shores they drafted :
lose in their own States, and, when no more /
ish or other foreigners could be procured, II
icy bought men up in other States, and !
nally obtained negroes from the South to E
Il the quotas of their own New England =
sates. In the battle, whenever the fight
g became hot and desperate the same eau Ie
ous Puritans took good care to place the d
ish and Germans, and even the negro troops, b
front, to bear the brunt of the deadly =
rife, and thus obtain the best immunity for ?
cir own precious lives. $
Before the war the leading men of New E
lgland proclaimed it as the fixed determi-
Ition of that people to "exterminate slavery
ID Popery in the land" They declared that r.
ter slavery should be abolished, Popery s
oald be driven from the country. Slavery f