Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-05-02

eminent, was an evil beyond the ability
| and resources of the mass of the inhabitants
TO Underground down. as they were.
! by policy which deprived them of
| the only resource of the poor. the en-
| ployment and the facilities or means of
living by their daily toll. Voluntary
exile, or emigration, TO such as had the
means of transportation, became the last re-
sort of tens of thousands, while their less
| fortunate countrymen were doomed to per
| ish by the slow tortures of starvation, which
was the miserable lot of thousands in every
| part of Ireland. Such has been the result
| of union between a small power and a
great one; such has been the results to Ire
land of the cruel embrace of a powerful,
grasping and selfish people, not ex-
| ceeded in her renown, in her triumphs
in peace and in war, in letters and science,
in all the arts, inventions and improve
ments of modern civilization, by any people,
ancient or modern. But, TO her eternal
shame, Ireland, separated from her only by
a narrow channel rich in soil, in iron and
coal, and in the natural and material
sources of wealth and prosperity, yet in
a large part of her soil is unimproved,
her natural resources undeveloped, with
large class of population, Judging
by their restitution and low grade of
culture, scarcely within the pale of civil
ization, and withal a vigorous, brave, gen.
erous and impulsive people, Astounding in ma
tive genius. Contemplate what she ought to
be under the sway, with such elements, of a
beneicent and magnanimous government
and behold her as she isl Think of her
wrongs, and what admirer of England's
rank and power among the nations of the
earth, despite her selfshness, her we'll es-
tablished guarantees for the security of the
staple objects that make life desirable, but
must wish that the dark chapter which re-
cords the history Of her relations with Ire
land for the last 500 years, were blotted out
forever? But unfortunately for her fame,
the record is indelible. The stain upon the
national escutcheon must coexist with time,
and continue to be foul blot upon the char
acter of English craftsmanship, English JUS
tice and English humanity, which, like the
id blood-spot upon the hand of Lady Mac
beth, never will "out."
| must not omit to enforce particular at
tention to one very instructive lesson, of in
finite interest and Importance at the present
time, to be gathered from the history of the
relations between England and Ireland for
the last 300 years 1t is even sad, at this
distant day, to think of the grest sacrifices of
life so utterly useless and hopeless, of the
undistinguished masses of the ignorant
peasantry, and especially of the more en-
ightened chiefs and leaders of the frequent
rebellions and revolts against the Govern
ment, into which they suffered themselves to
be goaded by their ppressoS-revolts ut
terly hopeless from the inception of them, |
and often doubtless instigated with view |
to insure the forfeitures of the estates of the |
insurgents l hope that if there be any
settled purpose to goad the people of the |
South into renewal of the rebellion, as |
there appears to be some intention from the |
extraordinary pains taken to misrepresent |
the feelings and the intentions of the late |
rebels that the people, whatever may be the
nature and extent of the provocation, will |
prefer exile and emigratioa, or any endura-
bic degree of humiliation or insult which |
they have reason to believe is Offered With |
any such design, rather than furnish any |
pretext for Cutting the vengeance or hate of
the hellish contrivers of such wicked |
purposes. Yours, respectfully,
JOHN BELL.