Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-06-16
ICELAND AND FRESHMEN.

The people of this country have been
ever distinguished for their sympathy with
the really oppressed people of all other
lands. They have witnessed with profound
interest the efforts of other people to throw
off the burdens of despotism. They have
uniformly hailed all movements looking to
popular freedom, founded on principle and
conducted with wisdom as worthy of encou-
ragement; and received with cordial well
come the actors in such enterprises who have
met with defeat and exile. Though neutral
as a Government in all the great as well as
in considerable conflicts in the old world
and 50 bound by solemn treaty obligations,
they have ever been deeply interested spec
tators.
In the case of ireland this feeling has
been especially marked. Resisting as long
az resistance was practicable the dominion
Of England. the Irish people were finally
brought under the hated yoke--and that
manly and creditable resistance was made
to the pretext for confscations and persecu-
tons, injustice and oppression, which have
kept alive the spirit of hostility in the
hearts of Irishmen to British rule, and have
served the crown with continued reason for
constant and severe exactions. The Ameri-
can colonies saw, in 1776 and 1912, in the
example of Ireland the living picture Of
their own fate in case Of their own failure.
1t gave additional zeal to their energies,
strength to their arms, warmth to their
courage and length to their endurance. We
made good our freedom, and became to-
wards Great Britain as towards all others,
as we set out to do in the /" Declaration y
"enemies in war; in peace, friends" We
entered into treaties, specific and general,
political and commercial, as with the rest
of mankind.
We erected here in the New World the
home of intelligent liberty, a government
of wise and equal laws, and invited the OPP
pressed seekers of justice and political right
to come and share it with us. Among these
came the Irish, who, speaking our language
and being of blood kindred to us, readily
adapted themselves to our institutions and
laws, becoming good and useful citizens-la-
borious, unpretending and faithful. Still
they have turned in sadness to their native
land, and not without hope of its final relief
They have accumulated among us in such
strength, that a number considered sufficient
for the purpose have leagued together and
organized to carry on war for the redemp-
ton and independence Of Ireland. In this
movement it has been repeatedly announced
that it would be so managed as not to in
fringe any law of the United States. But it
has turned out differently. The first overt
act was Of such character as to compel the
President of the United States to assert the
supremacy of our laws in our own territory.
Whether it is possible for the Irishmen
in this country to carry out such project
without violation of law, which must be as
well known and understood by them as by
our authorities, we do notpretend to decide
But they have seemed to be most unfortu-
nate in the selection of their leaders for the
enterprise-who have been generally as des-
titute of discretion as they have of that unity
and harmonywhich are absolutely necessary
to success. Since the organization has as
sumed a definite form looking to speedy ac-
ton, it has been the scene of constant wran-
giles and brawls, while the military conduct
has gone on without wisdom, or Skill and
with damaging parade and ostentatien, The
Chief Commander is represented asin a con-
dition, most of the time, wholly inconsistent
with the important and delicate response
bility resting upon him-while at the same
time the Chief Of the Brotherhood openly
dissented from the pending movement, and
proclaimed that he had been deceived by
both ofthe wrangling factions.
All these things presaged defeat and de-
mOralization, and led the honest and earnest
rank and file into trouble and suffering that
could do the cause no good The true
friends of the enterprise for Irish liberation
looked on all this with extreme regret, and
have despaired OF tire accompaniment OF
any present good through the agents now in
From Southern standpoint the desire of
the Irishmen in this country to free their
birth-land challenges admiration and hearty |
In view of occurring events and |
the bitter and revengeful passions that are
sought TO be aroused against the people of |
the South-the coniiscations that have alrea- |
dy been made, and the still greater that are |
neutrality-suspicious. and disfranchise-
ment-the apprehension may not be ground
less, that a chapter may soon be written in |
Southern history not unlike the gloomiest |
and bitterest that 'saddens the Irish heart
and mars the British character. England |
fought Ireland for "Union," and achieved |
conquest and subjugation, and followed itup
with tyranny and oppression, of which the
end is not yet. The fight here was likewise
for Union, and a party is rising up |
avowedly to enstamp us with like OPP
preston and degradation-and can on
ly be thwarted by the triumph of
constitutional and republican justice. We
have therefore, a right to express our SYM
pathy for the Irish people both here and at
home; and by right of that friendship We
ire allowed to express also our want of con-
idcnce in movements so ill-contrived and
lespicably conducted.
THE CONDITION OF MIR. DAVIS.
A correspoudent ofthe New York Tribune. |