Le Louisianais. [volume] (Convent, La.) 1865-1883, 1868-01-25

overthrow lawful sovereignty This is the view
which large portion Of the American Press manages,
by garbed Statements misrepresentation, and, not
n"trequently, by liberal Of the shafts of ridi-
cule, to present to the American mind.
1t is not at all surprising that the Fenian move
ment, in so lar as it has any afines with, or any
slm'ltnde to Freemasonry or other secret societies.
should be obnoxious to the Catholic portion Of our
people; since, it is well known that the Catholic
Church condemns "sccret societies" Of every kind
and whatever the object-aways adhering (not-
wthstanding the old calunny still fostered by Sec
tarians) to the immutable doctrine that no evil is
permissible that good may result from it. But is
rather singular that any portion Of our non. Catholic
population, and particularly that the Press whose
columns are constantly filled with lsudations of
secret societies, should make this real or supposed
feature Of Fenanism, an occasion Of rilcule
While We declare our unqualified admiration of
that sage maxim of the Catholic Church-"in es.
sentIis untas'--; and while we avow ourselves un-
hesitatingly obedient to her every dogma. however
mysterious, and indisecrnble by human reason. vet,
our hep'lbllcanism constra!ns us to synpathize with
people whose object is confesscdy to establish a
government having the consent of the governed.
AND even it we were assured that the subueation
OF Ireland was effected by open war and honorable
conquest, we should still be disposed 10 exclaim in
the words of one Of her own gifted sons:-
Strange! that brave and generous land,
Enabling others to Withstand,
Should not, itself, be free.''
But when we look back at Irelands sad story
when we reflect that 700 years ago. Englauds king
(tle End Henryl obtained partial possession Of Ire
land by base and iniquous fraud practsed on the
then reIgning Sovereign Pontiff; when we reflect
that the English government has subjected that un
HaFPy Country to centuries of the most heart
less persecution the world ever saw; dead indeed
should we be to every feeling of humanity, did We
not hope for the overthrow of government abhor-
rent in every feature of its blood-sained career, and
unredeelned by solitary act of Justice voluntarily
done.
1t is peculiarly Republican doctrine, that every
community is the depositary Of the Power by which
1t Should be governed. Indeed this doctrine under
lies every awtully-constituted society, whether mo-
narclical or republican. Usurpaton annus it. The
English government in Ireland is. beyond the DOS
sibility of dispute, usurpation for Which there was
not the shadow of good excuse for the Irish pos
sessed laws and government; and were free, en-
lightened polished brave and chvalrous people.
while the English We're yet painted savagcs. The
student OF ancient Irish history (but not through
English sources) will have difficulty in ascertain
ing this fact; and furthermore, that ireland cxcellcd
IN the arts and sciences and in the KNOWLEDGE of
navigation and commerce, which she inherited from
the early Phenician settlers, long ages before En-.
gland had emerged from barbarsln
Now, since the common sentiment of all civilized
nations accord with the voice of the most distinguish
ed publicists, in maintaining the constant universal
prnclpie' that every supaon is nullity; and since
no one, we presume, will pretend that seven centu-
res OF the most arocious injustice, has consecrated
a government characterized from its inception, by
raplne murder, massacre, confscaton, devastation
treacheiy sacrilege, and all the other crimes that
vrulence and malignance could invent, we see not
how the Fc,lans can be blamed for endeavorinr TO
rescue their country from dcspotism that has no
parallel in history
And yet it is a curious fact that England, and not
her victim, somehow or other, gets the sympatles
of very many Of our people. How is this to be ac-
counted tos1 What mystery lies at the bottom Of
this too patent tact,-tlat Republican people
allow themselves to be cheated into practical
denial of the first article of their political creed
the imprescrptble right of selfgovernment!
Leaving principle ont of consideration, and put
ting this question before the American mind as a
matter of choice, should have thought that the
characteristic chvalry Of our Southern people at
least, would impel them to side with the weak and
prosecuted But we take higher ground and
|
lecnal services rendered to our country, ireland is
| largely our creditor; while TO England we owe
nothing but the recollection of deep injuries, which
| we should not regret to see balanced
| But, lest any OF people should forget or
ignore this state of the national account-currcnt,
we will abstract and exhibit for them, few items
which, by little research among the annals of this
Republic they could have ascertaine1 for them
! selves
From Maine to California, there is not public
work of utility to whose success Irishmen have not
contributed, by their industry, their mechanical arts
their genius, SCIENCE and literature. From Maine to
California, not an institution of learning that is not
indebted to Irish talent Irish bone and siuew have
constructed those iron arteries of commerce which
| interace the various sections of the nation, fac-
tatng to the extent Of untold millions, the in
terchange of the productive labor of the coun-
try Irish bone and sinew have excavated our
canals, cleared our forests and Irishmen have
literally borne their muscular shouIecs our
principal cities 1t is indisputabe that wherever
i'll our backwools swamps; wherever, on
mountain-top or prairie-bottom wherever, in our
agricultural, manufacturing, mining districts,
two OF three of those provcrhally enthusiastic Irish
families have settled there the civizati. of the
Cross-the sole civilization that can redeem man
from savagism-has speedily followed; towns ard
cities have sprung up as if by magic; and eluca-
,ional establishments have ho,lrished
This is current history. 1t can neither be denied
nor conroverted. But let us glance at the past
Ihr American Rnynlnfion--that crranl n,,nr. N