The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-03-16
A Dead HumbuE.

A Dead Humbu8.
A Washington telegram on Monday said,
Large numbers of Fenians a rehere urging
congressman to an immediate recognition Of
the Fenian insurgents in Ireland as belliger-
ents > and as an entering wedge for favor
able consideration of the subject in the senate
another telegram on Tuesday informs us, that
Mr.. Nye introduced a preamble and resOlu-
ton in the senate, declaring the sympathy Of
the L. S with the Irish people in their strug-
gle against British oppression, and asked its
immediate consideration. Mr. Sumner object
ed, and the resolution went over"
The telegram would have been complete
had it said the resolution went overheard"
taking all the sympathy" ofthe radicals with
it, for it will probably never be heard of again
in the senate.
The simplicity Of these Fenian gentlemen
who have gone to Washington on SO hopeless
q mission is amazing. Have they no memo
ries! Do they ignore one insult to court
another?
Less than year ago terrible cutlery was
raised against President johnson, because he
found himself compelled to execute the neu-
trality laws of this country in way that de-
feated the well concerted Fenian invasion of
Canada. A very little investigation and re-
lection, however, satisfied the Fenians them
selves that the action of the President in the
matter was unavoidable, and that the trouble
lay not in him, but the neutrality laws. The
radicals saw, however, there was chance to
bambooze the Irish voters and they made use
fit. Finding that bowling about President
johnson was alone insufficient, they made
prompt and solemn promises that the Odious
neutrality laws should be Immediately repeal
ed, or at least essentially modified. General
Banks made long winded report on the sub
.iect, full of eloquent sympathy for oppressed
Ireland, and of sonorous defamation against
the rigors of the neutrality laws Accompany
ing the repost was bill for their modification.
Yes, the House would pass the bill immediate
ly, and so it did, though on examination, the
bill was suspected rather to add to than soften
she harsh provisions of the neutrality laws
Yet the language was sufficiently ambiguous
to answer the purpose OF the intended deep
ton, which, however, was far from ending
here. The bill must go to the Senate, and
there, of course, il was never intended to be
acted upon. But enough had been done in
the fraudulent game to make it available for
the approaching fall elections. All our Fcnian
friends remember how the fummery was car
ricd on by the radical leaders in Illinois, how
they got together big Fenian meetings at Chi
cage, Springfield, Rock Island and other
points where they were addressed in mati,lin
harrangucs by drunken John Logan, Dick
Ogleshy, and other backguards of that kth.
And ecrcditable-shameful as it certainly
was, this tlummery was not without its effect.
Hundreds if not thousands of Fenians in this
state, and throughout the country, were found
the easy dupes of these miserable tricksters,
and in the idiotic faith that the radical leaders
were in earnest voted their ticket Will the
Irish gentlemen in Ottawa, who brayed so
Justify at us last fall for saying these radical
nothing else have the kindness to tell us what
they think of it now What became of Banks
bill in Congress What was done about it, or
the neutrality laws in any form, at the late
session. From Dec. 1st to March 4th. 500
Buncombc bills were introduced and at least
y Buncombe speeches n week were made in
congress, but not even in one of all these was
Ireland named. The only mention of any sort
in reference to Ireland or the neutrality laws
that occurs in the five thousand heavy columns
OF the Congressional Globe which gives all that
was said and done during the session, is in the
2Sth OF February, where we learn that Mr.
summer reported back to the senate the Banks
bill from the committee on Foreign Affairs
and moved that the committee be discharged
from the further consideration of the subject
and the bill be laid upon the table,--w hicl
was agreed to. And there the humbug died
That was the end OF the game by which tn,
radicals succeeded in bagging IA good man,
thousand Irish votes, and in establishing theil
own reputation for adroit political scoundrel
ism. When next these accomplished political
rwindlers make oycrturcs to lrishmen, it is tc
be hoped it will be when no one remains (,
recall the campaign Of 1866.
The Worcester Spy boasts that 1.-The repub
lican party possesses about all the wealth 0
tt..x sh,t..