The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-03-16
THE IRIslI QUESTION.
Communication From an IrI.hma


Editors IIIteIligeHcer
While in England, have often been
surprised by the views entertained by
even the best politicians regarding
Irish politics. Now their Ignorance,
though nationally culpable, is perhaps
individually eXcuSable, for while we
have English politicians in plenty,
thoroughly conversunt with the politi-
,sal history OF their country, Intimately
a cquainted with the character of the
people, and fully competent to enter
into their peculiar views and to lsgis-
late in accordance with the spirit of the
time and the peculiar genius OF the peo-
pie, We have no really Irish politicians.
those who are so-called having been
for the most part educated in England
and having spent the greater part OF
their lives there, while the remainder
are only half Irish, understanding it
may be the character and feelings of
their co-religionists; but imbued with
all their prejudiceS and utterly incapa-
BILE OF sympathizing on any point with
those of different religious views. But
the ignorance existing in America on
the same psint presents a different as
pect, and can only be accounted for by
supposing thar the vast numbers of
u ycountrymen, who seek in this coun-
try the opening for industry and talent
they fail to find at home, carry with
LueLu IL a kOEtlkh AdLN tue
feelings and the same extreme though
marrow views, that have to some extent
rendered one of the loveliest spots in
the world one of the most wretched.
No one need say that religious party
spirit runs not quite so high, or that
oppression is the sole cause of that
country's misery. 1 have lived in
part in elections. 1 have sat in club
rooms, many of whose members then
only in the radical reform chrysalis
state have since expanded into the
Fenian butterfly. 1 have associated
with all classes of people there as far
as falls to the. lot of most men, and 1
have mixed with IIishmen of all views,
all denominations, and in many lands.
and-while admit that the country is
oppressed and groaning under some
wrongs, vet / cannot avoid coming 10
the conclusion that the nation contains
within itself much of the seed of its
own misery and wretchedness. This is
no new view or startling theory, it is
one that at intervals has been often
enuuciated and recognized, and as
speedily ignored and forgotten; but one
which can hardly be brought forward
too often or enforced too strongly. The
most casual observer visiting Ireland
and associating with the people
Ihroughoutth the country generally, can
in that country, there exists nothing
worthy of being dignified by the name
OF political party. In Belfast and
some of the larger manufacturing
towns the English game of politics is
tolerably well understood, and is play
ed without much more than the usual
loss of blood and temper; but through
out the great extent OF the country po-
litical parties fall most naturally into
the old tracks in which their fathers
ran, and like the old ship of The
seus, believe the two opposition
trains that are now daily coming
into collision with each other, in spite
OF the patching and cobbIing of cen
turies, are the veritabie stout old
Protestant and Roman Catholic We
hicles, that for centuries have been car
rying loads of passengers into eternal
smashes, coming out themselves almost
as good as new; but leaving their pas
sengers las Carlyle would say) Sin
chaos" Il is true that the Fenians in
sist upon the separation OF religion
from politics, and that, may add,
seems 10 me the best feature of the or
ganiZation; but their doctrine to that
effect has about as much effect
on the spirit OF the Irish people as q
ukase of the Gar Of Russia, ordering
the Hibernians TO grow red hair no
longer, would have on the heads OF the
same nation. Errors and prejudices of
that nature, that are the growth of CEN
turies, can no more be removed by ar
tincial means than the physical peeuli-
arities OF individuals or nations, that
have been beQueathed to them by their
ancestors, and have no hesitation in
saying that in 4relapd the organization
does not include twenty Protestants,
and not one who pays the slightest re-
gard to, or attends on the ordinances of
that church. So far from removing
that evil, 1t has only increased it, and
party spirit never ran higher than il
does at the present time If the English
troops were withdrawn to-morroE, and
II no foreign nation iuterfered, the rival
factions would tight with feroeity,
undimiuished by the lapse OF
centuries, and the progress Of
civilization. The world would see =
combat amer the styIe of the Kilkenny