The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1867-07-06


red shirt on the continent The very same who
is cursed and imprisoned in Ireland, and cursed
and banned in Italy. Yes, indeed, the same is she
who wears the iron mask in France, and beneath
whose outstretched wings the suffering of all ma
tions find refuge in free America.
1t is because Liberty reigns in America, the hus-
bandman sits beneath his own fig tree, with his
children smiling around him, and owns no master
but God 1t is because that Liberty waves her
banner over every household in the land, that all
our people are happy
In Ireland, Liberty is hunted outlaw, roaming
among the hills, and hiding in the homes of the
poor. In Ireland, Liberty is pining in dungeons,
and trampled beneath the feet of her old enemies.
She is the criminal in the dock, the convict in the
prison, the victim on the scafod. Hunted by the
sleuthhounds of monarchy, beguiled by the traitor,
Stunned by the coward, and cursed from the altar.
Because she is so, the land is ruin the people
are beggars. The stranger is lord of the soil, and
the rightful owners are in the poorhouse in
exile.
When shall this horrible state of affairs to
an end? When shall the Irish people be restored
to their rightful ownership of the SOIL and to that
possession of happiness, which the American peo
pie enjoy? When they overthrow the system of
wrong that cutivates misery as necessary to its
istence, and establish complete national independ-
ence. When Liberty shall be brought from the
dungeon, and throned within her legislative halls,
and dispense her blessings equally to all.
"when shall we have Liberty?
When fit to receive her !"
Liberty springs from the brain, as much as from
the sword. Like the marble in the hands of the
sculptor the form of the goddess is conceived in
the SOUL and the hands but break the prison walls
that surround it. The ponderous blows of muscle
might ring on the rocks until whole quarries were
demolished without producing the statue, were not
intelligent mind guiding the blows.
Were our nation forty millions instead of ten,
and had each man the thews of Hercules, they
could not hew out Liberty without that intelligence
necessary to direct their strength Time and again
have the fair proportions of Liberty appeared
meath the hand of some master, and time and again
has she been dashed to pieces by the wild blows of
muscular idiots. se @@#
We want certain portion of our people to be
so mentally disciplined that they will thoroughly
understand what Liberty means and that having
made up their minds that she is worth every sacri-
flee that man can make, then make up their minds
to sacrifice all things for her sake. Before under
take the work of restoring Liberty to her rightful
position let us be thoroughly satisfied that, when
the huge sacrifices made,-that must be made
in her restoration,-we are capable of maintaining
her against any power. Let us be satisfied that we
cannot be reasoned or awed into binding her limbs,
and handing her over to the tyrant, as was done
with the last French Republic. How many of our
people to-day are willing to accept Liberty without
any qualification? How many are there who never
trouble themselves whatever about their country's
position, who, if given crust of bread-enough to
support fe-are perfectly satisfied to lick the hand
of any master? Alas, we would blush if the num-