The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1867-11-16

when Congress took up the cause of Ireland our rights
belligerens would have been recognized It was the
action of the Congress of the United States that when
Ireland was bafAed once more in her movement for
freedom took her from the American bastiles and en-
couraged her to persevere Had the Congress- instead
of sympathizng with the of Ireland backed up
the Executive and his servants in their unconcealed zeal
for Engands welfare, where would Organization be
to-day? The leaders would be serving out their years
in American bastiles and the rank and file would have
given up in despair. Let those who so anxious
to ignore the services of Congress- for certain unnamed
but we'll known reasons take these things into consider
alton when they cry with blind political vindctiveness
"why didn't the Radicals repeal the Neutrality Laws Y
"why did Sumner keep the Bill in his pocket"
and thousand other why's and wherefores. We have
heard leading Fenans assert when knew they thought
otherwise that well understood by General Banks
and his Radical Congress- that the Bill would be killed
in the Senate. There such fasty sent forth
from the lips of as such assertions The Radical
Congress took hold and passed the Banks Neutrality
Laws Bill in good faith Any of intelligence, who
read the speeches at the time, must know that the
hundred and hcenty-three members of Congress who
voted for its passage not voting for 6unconabe
In fact the Republicans took this matter up in such
earnest and determined spirit that the vote unan
nous, Of the opposition daring to vote against it.
In next issue will give the history of the Neutral
ity Laws from the days of Washington to the present.
showing how they were forced on the United States by
England France, Spain, ETC., when she power
less to resist We shall also give some of the speeches
made on the passage of the Banks Bill in the 39th
Congress.
Now, for ourselves. On the Goth day of the pres
ent month"; the Congress will meet in session. What
has been DONE what is doing, towards bringing before
it this and other matters of vital Importance to all
American citizens, but of special interest to ourselves
From the peculiar position of things in general-the
surroundings Of the next Congress- and the spirit of
liberty that will pervade the maorty-there never was
more proptious time for pushing demands as
American citizens and getting all obnoxious and
archical laws wiped off the statutes than during the
next session of Congress- There American citizens
pinng in British dungeons without being accused of
any crimes. There men who have fought for the
Republic who have been flung into dungeons, and who
have suffered all the humations that cowardly enemy
could nfict his helpless victims. These soldiers of
the Republic have cried for protection and the of
the Government have been closed with British gold.
What is our Organization doing towards bringing this
matter of the rights of citizenship before Congress
Think ye that Congress is going to take up business
unsolicited and throw by their own? 1t is useless to go
into high sounding sentiments about liberty and prin
cples All nations must attend to what concerns them
selves first Like individuals, nations are selfish The
who runs into his neighbours shop to do his neigh
boris business and forgets his own will soon have
shop of his to tend. Had the Organization taken
the proper steps towards the modification of the Neutral
ity Laws they would have been modified before If
the next Congress is allowed go by default let us hear
no more nonsense about Radical deceit AS people, we
deserve almost nothing from the Radicals The majority