Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-06-27
UNION STATE TICKET.
Our Neutrality Laws.

The House Committee on Foreign Al
fairs are still eoqustting with the Fenisns,
by pretending to consider the proPriety
of amending our neutrality laws 1t Is
stnuou u = sMessrs. Banks, Raymond ana
Dawson oppose any material change in
them. while Messrs. Cullom, Randall, Ortiz
and Newell favor a modification, making
them in consonance withthe liberal sPir-
it of the of the age. Messrs. Banks, Ray
mond and Cullum have been appointed
a subcommittee to consider all the Fe-
Man resolutions now before the Commit
tee, as well as Governor Boutwell's bill
changing the neutrality laws
An this is $ very futile and very fool
ish effort on the part of schemers of both
political parties-the Republicans work
ing to buy over, the Democrats TO retain,
the Irish vote, by concessions, or sp-
parent concessions, to the Fenian move
ment. The Just and dignif0d though
tardy course of the government in snforc-
ing u neutrality laws so snraged the
Irish element in u population that the
attention of wire-pullers was at once
drawn to a subject which they had hith-
erto curiously neglected-the possibilities
of making political capital out of the Fe-
nisn movement. The position Of the
President, against whom indignation Is
chiefly directed, is so equivocal that the
Irish hardly know upon which party to
charge the odium of his course. Tricky
schemers Of each organization perceive the
possibilities Of the situation, and are Ia
boring with all their energies to improve
hem. Hence the a~nti-neutrality resolu-
tons which have been introduced int
the House of Representatives, and the
uock-consideration which the COMMITTEE
IN Foreign Affairs is giving to the subject
In the eyes of a European statesmans this
spectacle of political demagoguery-thii
apparent willingness, on the part oil GU
national legislature, to tamper with th'
national faith and obligations in order tc
conciliate the vote of the lowest class o
our citizens-will hardly seem a convinc'
ing proof of the superiority of republican
institutions. 1t would be still more de
grading were there anyprobability that thu
neutrality laws would be repealed But W.
are happy to believe that until the DE
mocracy get into power they will remain
untouched. l-I
We desire to warn Republican leaders
against the folly of thus trlaing with ss
cred and important laws in the hope o
securing the Irish vote. II is not onll
undignifed and improper but it is EerJ
foolish. No matter what the Repub
Kcan leaders do for the Fenians, No
matter what concessions they ma!
make to them and for them, the Irisl
vote will, when the election-day comes
be cast solidly, in the future as in the past
for the ticket labelled democratic" Tn
efforts made by General Scott in 1852, t.
conciliate the Irish element, and their ut
ter failure, ought to serve as a standing
example and warning to all anti-"Demo,
cratic politicians. The Irishman votei
the democratic ticket with readiness
and iteration, no matter whether he hs;
been three days or thirty years in "Amer-
ky We do not pretend to explain th'
philosophy of it, but the fact remains. L
Republicans choose to bemire themselves
to gain Irish popularity they can of cours'
do 50, but they will only get their labol
for their pains 1t would be much better
in policy as well as in principle, for then
to 60 on in the straight path of duty, leg
islating for the interests of the Who'll,
country, rather than to sell themselves t
few reckless adventurers in the delusivl
hope of overtaking that ignis fat'nis of pol
iticians-THE IRISH VoTE.