Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1866-06-08
The Feniau Invasion of Can
ada-itS Lesson.

The jilnor branch of the FcnanS have
at length invaded Canada-so mnch j. Ger
tain. How many they nnmber-what well
come they are to fiud-what resources are
at their back-remain to be developed.
As by far the larger number of Irish seem
to follow the fiag of O'Mahony and Stcph-
ems, the natural proposition is that the
movement is rash. uncalculating. foolhar-
DIV. and that the shattered remnant of the
Fenian army will soon be racing back
across the frontier in most admired disor-
der. We say, this is the natural pre>ump-
tion-we prophcsy nothin" whatever.
The random talk of some Of our City
Journals has been calculated to misguidc
the public mind. The Fenian movement is
not mere pretcnsc or parade-iS deeply ami
painfully earnest. OMahonv may be
crazy, if yOu will: but he is not swindlcr
anclin. for dupes. and so. We presume of
the rest. The Irish regard the English as
oppressors Of their country and race for
the last eight centuries, and would very
generally rise to throw off the detested
yoke if they burst. We say 1.-THE Irish,
knowing well that there is a very large
share of the population OF Ireland who
are essentially. heartily British. But who
ever are really Irish are antj-British.-and
as profoundly so in England. Canada. or
Australia, as in Ireland or the United
States. They do not often break out into
insurrection; not because they are cow
ards. but because they see no reason to
hope for success; but if they saw fair
chance to strike for the ind penlence of
their native land, there are One Million
able-bodied Irishmen to-day living in all
parts of the earth who would ioytully
take their places in the ranks. and make as
good fight as they could. Very many OF
these will have nothing to do with Fenian-
ism, regarding it as Il wild delusion; but
show them a fair chance to make Ireland
an independent republic at the cost of one
hundred thousand Irish lives. and they
would joyfully make up the tally.
OF course. there are Irish quacks and
Observation-Disclosures and swindlers-
traders in patriotism; siinulaters of
patriotic devotion-pe,haps rs many in
proportion rs of any other race on earth.
Discrimination and treachcry are the natur-
al vices of slaves; and the Irish have the
faults natural to a down-trodivn race
But there woald be precious little hypoc-
risy if there were no genuine piety. and
few pretended devotees to the liberation
of ''the ould sod ii there were not many
real devotees to rpnder the pretense a gain
full one. The aspiration OF the Irish TO
nationality and independence has outlived
so many crushing defeats that it is most
unlikely to be eXtinguished by any fresh
disaster. Let us presume then--as almost
every one presumes-that the Fenian ill.,
vasion of Canada will speedily be drown
ed in blood--that the wreck of General
Sweeney's forces will soon be fleeing
across the border-it will be very great
mistake to calculate that this will annilil-
ate Eenianism. 1t will do nothing of the
kind. The body may perish but the spirit
will survive. A century hence, as now.
the Irish race will be plotting. organising,
and occasionally fighting for Independence
unless there shall meantime he developed
an England wise enough, just enough, to
abolish their swindling State Church and
make the Three Kingdoms alike contented
and happy by just and equal laws. based
ON recognition of the ilalienahle Rights
af Man.
The Canadians have probably seen
new light ON the subject OF st. Albahs
raids and Coursol decisions. They used
to think these rather amusing than other
wise. Perhaps they still do; but we
doubt it. Ii We should ever have another
gigantic rebellion. we think their hoSpl-
tality to conspirators and ince,ldiaries will
be- less fervid than in the days not long
past. At all events, we viii hope So,
Alike for our own sakes and theirs. l'rib-
uae.