Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-08-21

ARE CITIZENS of this republic upon equs
conditions and with precisely equa
rights. He warned Irishmen that any at
tempt to redeem ireland because it wa:
Ireland, that any appeal to the sympathies
of Americans for oppressed Irishmen as
Irishmen, while there remained the ira
ditional Indifference of Irishmen to
the rights of men of other national
tiles whose sufferings were at least as sore
as their own-would miserably fail, and
ought miserably to fell. "But," said he,
'.if Irishmen at length are ready to learn
the first principles of sound political wis
dom, to learn that the doctrine of Ameri-
can liberty is the doctrine of absolute
equality for all men before the law, ac-
| cording to individual merit and capacity,
and without unjust prejudice against any;
to learn that the party that holds literally
to this faith is the only democratic party,
the only party that can be true to the
cause of Irish independence, then, indeed,
Irelands milleniam is drawing nigh, and
the dav of its redemption is at hand. For
1 tell you before God to-day that if you
will strike hands with this party of liber-
ty, it will strike hands with you in cove
nent that shall never be broken. If you
will put away your prejudiees against
black men, Americans viii put away their
prejudices against Irishmen. If you
will make common cause with US for the
complete establishment of liberty in this
Government, that this Government and
this people will make common cause with
you for the emancipation of ireland. We
are for liberty everywhere the North
ern States, in the Southern States, in the
Eastern States, in the Western States, in
the Territories; in Canada; in all British |
America; in England, Ireland, Wales |
and Scotland in Europe, Asia, Africa |
and all the islands of the sea; we are for |
liberty for white men, for black men, for |
red men and yellow men; and so far as
we have either moral or material power |
which may at any time be exerted in the |
interest of any oppressed people or class
whatever, this party of universal liberty
pledges ITSELF if it is permitted the con-
troll of the government, to exercise that
power till every despet and titled tyrant
on the face of the earth shall tremble at
our name"
1t was wonderful TO note the effect of
this speech. From beginning to end, eVen
in its severest passages, it was borne out
upon the wind with such continuous
shouts of applause as have seldom heard.
When the Governor had thus defined his
he began to catechise his audi
9nce, demanding in peremptory terms
they were really aware what they
we're applauding and to what course
If political action they were committing
themselves The responses were neither
nor ambiguous. They declared
n rapid succession and with frequent iter-
Ition that the Irish vote should never
gain be sold to the old Democratic party
or whisky or anything else, nor to An
rev johnson, nor to the Philadelphia |
Convention party, nor to any species of |
liberty hAters whatsoever; that it should
'e given to the Republican party, to the {
'arty of progress, for the complete en-
of the black man as an
american citizen, for constitutional liber-
Y and virtuous freedom, for these only,
nd for these forever morel
1t was worth thousand miles journey
lg in the heat of midsummer to hear
lch a speech to such crowd, and to hear
lch responses. 1 taxed my faith in my
wn senses to credit what saw and heard. 1
'ou may say the Irish will not generally
gree to such creed, and that even these
i'll not long abide by it. 1 only answer t
lat after what heard that day 1 can
slieve any reform possible, however radi-
i.
Speaker Colfax, General Logan, and
eneral 0'Neil, the Fenian commander,
flowed the Governor, all in the same
rain, teaching the same Christian doc :.
inc of universal brotherhood, and to the :
\ apd havopd tho and of oil fha sr,aal- | .
g, the vows of fidelity to the new party
Equal Rights were repeated almost
it'll every closing sentence. Be the re-
1t more permanent or less permanent, it
not too much TO assert that the 18th of A
ngust, 1866, marked an era in American a
'litics. B