Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1866-09-05
70 TIE IRISH PEOPLE Or OHIO.
Address Of VIM. G. Halpin,

] 10 THE IRISH PEOPLE OF OHIO =
FeHolU- CountrynaeR Events are now
transpiring in the political world that
require your earnest attention and con-
slant vigilance. Politicians cannot get
rid themselves of the idea that you are a
stupid, ignorant set, who cannot compre-
hend the situation" " and are only fit for
digging cellars and voting schemers into
Office. The two great political parties of
the day are now bidding for your votes,
and the most extraordinary efforts are
being resOrted to in order to get your
suffrage in the coming elections. 1t never
strikes the onorable or their ward sati-
lites, that you have sense enough to be
able to discriminate for yourselves and
vote for the men you deem most honest
and capable to discharge the duties of
the Offices they seek. It is always taken
for granted that you are either venal or
demented-ready to follow fool or sell
your franchise to the highest bidder
This not very fattering estimate of Irish
character is not a new theory with the
placemen; it is as old as my recollection
of conventions and stump oratory. As
far as Americans are concerned, this false
idea would be long since exploded we're
it not kept alive by class of Irishmen to
be found in every large city of the Union,
who are ready to barter their souls for
commissionership or a policeman's but
ton. BY pack of this class of worthless,
the greatest organization that ever eXis-
ted among Irishmen was broken up to
minister to mad ambition and the sordid
instincts of little men. 1t was known to
all who watched the current of events for
some months, that the noise about invad-
ing Canada was all CANNON, got up to
trammel the action Of Mr. Stephens, with
the ulterior design to turn the whole
affair into politics. That such was the
case is now manifest
No sooner did the the bubble explode
than Mr.. Roberts FASTENED off to Wash
ington to bargain with the Radicals for
the Irish vote. The bargain consumma-
ted he returned to New York and opened
the political campaign in their favor
Thence be sped to Buffalo and Michigan
on the san holy mission, trying to per-
suade his helrers in each place that they
should vote for those only who were
ready to repeal the Neutrality laws, and
they were Thad. Stevens and Company.
The neutrality laws are made the pretext
of the schemers, who are only intent upon
feathering their own nests. They know
that the Radicals never intended to repeal
the neutrality laws to suit Irishmen, but
a pretezt should be had to cover their
designs, and they found it in that.
To-day l met a series of resolutions,
concocted by "Senator Fitzgerald, of
Cincinnati, that even beats the stump
speeches of Roberts and Haggerty. Fitz
goes the whole thing at jumpand leaves
his more cautious and considerate fellows
in the back ground. There is no round
about way in his manner of doing bust
ness. He swallowed Thaddeus, Banks,
the working majority. including our own
Ben. Eggleston, at one gulp. What say
you Irishmen to that-Bull Run Banks,
the leader Of the Know Nothings in
Massachusetts-th working majority,
every one of whom have all their lives
been working against Ireland and Irish
men; and Ben. Eggleston well, you
men of Cincinnati know Ben; you krelD
him in 1854 and 1865, and you knew
how dearly he loved Pat. and " the sweet
Irish brogue." l see he is renominated
for the First District Won't you vote
for him? Isn't he going to repeal the
neutrality laws So says Senator Fitz-
gerald-that's enough. Well, it is not
my purpose, nor my business, whether
you vote for the Radicals or not but be-
fore you allow the Fenian Brotherhood
to be lured, by the sapient tongue Of
Ohio's Fenian Senator, into the support
of faction that hates you with an intense
hatred, and in forty years never lost an
opportunity of showing you that they
did so. Before, I say, you follow Mr..
Fitzerald or any of the faction that won
you from the cause Of suffering Ireland,
hear what Hon. John Hagan says of the
Committee of Foreign Affairs and the
working majorities which Fitz lauds so
extravagantly. Mr. Hagan is member
of Congress, and was present III the
House while the Radicals were dodging
the neutrality laws.
The Radicals in and out of Congress
have professed very great sympathy with
the Irish-the Fenians-because they
were banked in the Canada invasion by,
as it is said, the proclamation of the
President. Well, this was a consequence
of the neutrality laws upon the statute
books. Mr.. Aneona, a Democrat from
Pennsylvania, introduced a resolution
into the House directing the Committee
on Foreign Affairs, who are chiefly Rad
icals, with one of the ablest of their nun
Der, General Banks, as their Chairman,
to bring in a bill repeating all the neu-
trality laws, so that there need be no
legal obstacle to the invasion of Canada.
and even ireland, of which they seemed
so much in favor, and for preventing
which they so much blamed the Presi-
dent. Did the Radicals of the House
vote at once for the repeal? Oh, no
but one of their number eDdeavored to
substitute some other useless proposition.
The previous question was called and
sustained by them, and then the whole
matter was referred to the Committee On
Foreign Affairs, to sleep the sleep of
death, and this was done by the Radi-
Gals almost in a body voting for the re-
ference, while every Democrat in the
House voted againstit. Thus they lodged
that matter, notwithstanding all their
professions, and there, ever since, the
Tesolu ion has quietly slumbered. knew