Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1866-08-28
General Schurz on the new Fenian
Movement.

Carl Schurz, the german patriot,
soldier and orator, thus comments on
the great Fenian demons traton in
Chicago last week, and we commend
his observations to every Irishman
who desires to have the American
people sympathize with the Fcnian
movement for the liberation of the
Fatherland from British oppression /:
"The great Fenian demonstration
in Chicago, last Wednesday, was one
Of the most significant events of the
times. The fact that the Irish patri.
OTIS have openly stepped upon the
true platform for men desiring liberty
and indeT endence for themselves and
their native land-a platform claim
ing liberty as the natural right Of all
men, and selfgovernment as the nat
ural right Of every people, is nc less
significant and important than the
fact that the declaration of these p1il
ciples has tllemediateIy rallied to the
support OF their cause tie open SYM
pathy and ontspoken approval Of
men recognized as leading statesmen
and politicians, powerful TO influence
the nation in behalf of any cause wor-
thy of popular aid and approval. 1t
is fixed fact that the American peo-
pie do not and will not sympathize
with quarrels for mere independent
government. Whether nation or a
people is ruled by one government or
by another, if both are alike despotio
and illiberal, few Americans care q
copper. But while we cannot active
ly sympathize with people strug-
Cling for a mere change Of dynasty,
our sympathies were never yet APP
pealed to in vain in behalf Of any
people struggling for liberty and hui
man rights, and recognizing those
broad and liberal principles including
all men, In accordance with our own
immortal Declaration Of Indepen-
dcnte. SO long as men claim liberty
for themselves but deny it to others,
they cannot expect and lcW moi reccjre
the sympathy Of others. But the
motto Of liberty for all men enlists
at once the sympathies OF all who
love liberty and their fellow men.
The great mass of the Irish people
Of the United States have for years
voted steadily with a party opposed
to the principle of liberty and equal
rights to all men, whose creed en-
braoed only liberty for the white
men Of the United States upon oil
subjects except slavery, but was not
broad enough to reach out beyond
the United States and embrace liber-
ty for the Irishmen in Ireland. in
return fer the mistaken fidelity with
which they have served this pros
scriptive and Liberal party, the Irish
seeking liberty for their own ma tive
land, have appealed in vain for aid
and comfort to the Democratic lead
ers. No Democratic Governor he's
addressed them words Of hearty
sympathy, or pledged them bis ooun-
tenancc and good will, like the Re
publican Governor Oglesby, of Iii
nois, No Democratic statesman Of
wide celebrity, has assured them of
the sympathy ofCongress and pledg-
ed them his personal support, Ike
Schuyler ColfaX,s Speaker Of the Re
publican House of Representatives.
No distinguished Democratic header
has openly taken tie. stump in their
favor, like General HOGAN, Rcpubli-
can candidate for Congress in Hi.
nois and distinguished Union Gen
eral. On the contrary, the Demo
cratic leaders all profess to sustain
and admire Andrew Johnson. and bis
administration, which has proved the
greatest enemy of the Irish patriots
they have yet encountered, more
formidable than the Canadas and
more treacherous than England. !,
But the entire body of the Irish
people, as we'll as the Fenians, should
understand distinctly that the pow
erful champions of freedom and hui
man rights in this country as well as
in all countries, bestow their sympa-
thes and lend their aid where they
discover the principles they love,
and not elsewhere and that tho
great bulk of the people are moved
by the same causes. They will sus-
tain the Irish cause Jthat cause means
freedom and haman rights; and not
otherwise. They will aid and en-
courage the Irish people, if the Irish
people sustain freedom and human
rights; and not otherwise. If the
Irish Republic means liberty to all
men, q majority of the American peo-
pie mean the same thing; and the
two are fast friends upon principle
and united in sympathy. But # the
Irish Republic means simply freedom
to such rs arc able to get it, or have
it given to them because ofthcir col
or, or religion, or politics, tho major
ity of the American people do not
believe in any such doctrine and
those Of them who do believe in it,
like their freedom if they are able to
get it alone, or wait until it is given
to them, according to their own doe
trincs.