Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1868-09-09
LETTER FROM T. DERvIN, ESQ
We have received the following COM
munication from Mr.. Dervin which we
publish with pleasure.

c nave recelVeu the IOllOWlng c0m-
munication from Mr.. Dervin which we
publish with pleasure.
"Let no man write my epitaph, for as no man
| who knows my motives, dare now vindicate
them let not prejudice Or ignorance asperse
them. Let them and me repese in obscurity
and peace, and my tomb remain uninscribe d
| until other days and other men can do justice
to my character. When my country takes her
place among the nations of the earth, then, and
not till then let my epitaph be written" Err
tract from Robert En,naetfs Speech
"Other days and other men," since the above
words were spoken by that nobest of patriot, S
| have sought to do justice to his character. But
| those men who endeavored to vindicate him
| and his motives, have failed-they were cursed
| by division among themselves. Some sought
| aid from France, some from America, but
| America only answered them. During the
| years of famine, to the writer knowledge, the
Americans, and especially the noble American
| ladies' responded to the call for aid And why?
Because they were conversant with the Irish
| character; they had had them in their families
and their fields; they had learned to respect
| and trust them. This is the reason why they
| responded TO the call of suffering Ireland The
| Irish people had enough during those years of
| suffering, of the products of the soil, but the
adherants of that thrice accursed blood stained
flag took 1T from them by force aud left them
to starve and die in sight of fGoi they had
earned by their toll and the sweat of their
brow.
Americans, do you wonder that we Irishmen
should look on England with so bitter ha-
tired? Have we not had cause enough for the
last TOO years 2 Yes, we have had cause, and
now we have remedy. Do you ask what is
yUn will 7 f1ol
looked for opportunity, which Emmett O'Con-
mel, and all who prophesied that the wild
geese would return with a vengeance, is at
hand. The sid and sympathy must come from
America, for there is no other power on earth
but Americans that sympathize with the OPP
pressed. After long years of struggle, they
have abolished slavery, which the writer was
| taught by his democratic school masters, to
believe was established by divine right, Just as
in the old world, they teach the divine right of
kings. But thank God the We of superstition
is torn away. and we can see no rights except
the rights of men-the rights of the black man
the same as the white man. How can Us an
lrishman, demand the rights of my country
! men, and deny those of any other man? l
never, never shall again. We have an exam
pie in the noble OConnell when he refused to
accept the money sent him from one of the
Southern States to aid in his agitation for
Catholic emancipation. "No," said OConnel
"NeVer shall accept any money from task
masters-the slave holders naoney-it is by
right the poor slaves wages" But now the
slave is free-made so by the influence of Re-
publican institutions, which have thus given
one more proof that they stand i'll the front
rank OF all the influences which tend to the
elevation OF man OF every race and color.
Messrs. Editors, at the Re publican Conven-
n ~ Ify lost
quaintance of seven Irishmen who were here
as delegates to that Convention. They were
instructed to vote for Hon. B. F. Hopkins-a
man who has proved himself friendly to the
Irish race-who is no demagogue, and who
always voted right in congress, whenever there
was any question relating to foreign-born citi-
zens They said that they should vote for
Grant, Colfax, and the whole ticket; they had
fought under Grant; they knew his great
abllltles as leader, and his pure patriotism,
aud that no power could induce them to desert
his standard. They believe that if Seymour
and Blair are elected, this land will be deiuoed
in blood, the slave returned again to his mas
ter, and this YUM of our fugitive country
men be no longer the Gland of the free and the
home Of the brave" The action of the New
York Convention shows this conclusvely.
They said to the rebels in the south, support
US now and we will assist you if need be by
the bayonet and help annul the reconstruction
acts and constitutional amendment, and REIN
state you in all your former rights-those of
slavery included.
But trust in God that the American people
are patriotic enough to avert this terrible CAL
amity, by putting Gen. Grant at the helm He
makes no speeches but is wide-awake and
quietly watching the traitorous desi gns of
those men he dealt so generously with when in
his power; and who would now abuse the for
bearance OF the American people, if opportu-
nifty should offer to carry out their designs;
1t was to enjoy the blessings of peace and
liberty that the writer sought a home in tree
America. 1t was the first sion of my child
hood and 1T will descend with me to the grave
But if as a man venerate America, what must
be my feelings towards her as an Irishman
Never, oh never, while memory remains, can
Ireland forget the home Of her emigrant-the
asylum OF her exile. No. matter whether her
sorrows sprung from the errors of enthusiasm
or the realities of suffering-from fancy or
afHiction-that must be reserved for the scru-
tiny OF those whom the lapse of time shall &C
quit of the charge of partiality--but it is for
the men OF every age to hail the hospitality
that received the shelterless, and befriended the
unfortunate. Search creation around and
where can you find country that presents so
sublime spectacle, so magnificent a future as
this What noble institutions, what COM
prehensive policy, what wise equalization of
all political advantages. The oppressed of all
countries, the martyrs of every creed, the in
nocent victims of despotic arrogance, may here
find refuge. Industry is encouraged, piety res
pected, and ambition animated there is no
restraint but those laws which are the same to
all, and no dis tinction, but that which origin
ates in merit.
Whom other stars shall dim the hour of night,
Hers shall begin to beam forever bright,
AS if it were the lamp of God himself
Fellow countrymen, let US prove wortr IF
the high privilege of being citizens o. THIS
country, and cherish for it the same patriotic
love we have for the land of our fathers.
Messrs. Editors [ have made this commune
cation longer than [ intended; but the neces-
sites of the hour are great, and it is the duty
of every patriot to be fearless and out spoken.
The danger which threatens US is great, but
believe the result is safe. The enemy too, al,
ready see that Grant is to be our next 2resi-
dent, and so mote it be.
T. DERvIN.
The ratification of Hon. B. T. Hopkins
denomination, by the Republicans of Madison
and Dane County, was grand success.