The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-05-14
/" The Irish hlomens. +"

When a hostile Government, led by the
Orange Peel, consented to endow Maynootl
richly. OConnell exclaimed, Cancellation
Hall. thank you for that I" and 80 when
the American people shall Lave exacted the
/ ayment of the Alabama claims, and COM
PEI; as they have done, settlement OF the
Fishery question, they may we'll exclaim
Irish element, we thank you for that
There is no doubt Of it that the Irish
element in America is the balance OF
power between England aud the States.
England and the English Government re-
yard 1t as being their difficulty in every in
| ternatfonai question arising between the
Cabinet at st. Joseph's and the Ministry at
Washington. They do not for moment
mistake or underrate it's weight in every
difference that arises between them. Since
Bunker's Hill was Won, they know fnll
and most desperate in any battle under the
Stars and Stripes where they floated over
ranks arrayed in hostility to the banner of
England. Since Barry's deatiiless reEown
in the combats against its superiority on
the sea, they know that the Irish element
is as ready to give Admirable to brave, them
on the waters-just as ready as Generals on
the land. They know that the same ele-
nent is power and an influence in all
American politics and that although it
may be cajoled or played off by tricks
statesmen for their own interest, yet that it
has made it's own hostility to England q
trump card in the game whenever the &C.
casion arises where the interests of Ameri-
ca and those of England clash together in
variance. 1t ia Ireland that has broken
the power of England to resist the Ala
bama claims or American pressure for their
sett!ement, and it was a grievous and woe
full day when she had to send her Commits
sfoners to Washington to avert war. That
was the meaning Of the whole thing. 1t
was as great a farce as the Conference on
the Black Sea question. 1t was a salve for
British pride-it was a shift, o pretence of
making an international arrangement on the
basis of mutual consent. All this "a laugh
ed at by every power in the world to which
the affairs of England are of any concern.
They see, through the gossamer of the
f1imsy veil, how naked of power and Sc
curity she really is; and they cry aloud,
" how is Babylon fallenf"
And this same Irish element. - 40 dan
gerous always to English peace, was driven
from this land of ours by q cruel policy,
memory rapkles in its heart of hearts to-
day, and renders it the terror of English
diplomacy now and everywhere. With it's
veDgeful presence confronting it, there is
no tranquility for the Cabinet of st. James.
They build their iron chips, they call out
their militia and volunteers, they reorgan-
ize their armies, they make the most lavish
expenditure on artillery and munitions of
war, they erect sea coast fortresses, brist-
ling with frOwniDg cannon, and yet if ever
there was dominant fear vivid in English
policy, 1t is at this very moment, when but
yesterday it has truckled to Russia, and to-
tons have got all they wanted out of Eng
land. Whose turn of exaction comes next?
The words of Carlyle are bitterly answered
OF him who called upon Government to
crush US in the days when a maddened
people rose unarmed against the opprcs
sion of Ireland. If a rat crosses the path
of an elephant, what does the elephaut9
Squelches it, by Heavens! !" All the deft
skill of the Government was vain to ac-
complish the wish of the brutal Saxon.
Providence sent no earthquake to sub
merge the people of Ireland for twenty
four hours in the sea, although the English
Times prayed for such a sweeping annihila-
ton for the Irish nation. Famine, and pes
and the landlord wrong accom-
plished the slaughter of a million of them,
at leastS within two years but the bones
of the dead are moved in their graves at
the retribution inflicted upon their oppres-
sors when in life, that the scheme which
delivered them to the tomb gave the "Irish
element" to America.
The British press and British senators
take comfort now out of the possibility
that the settlement of the Alabama claims
will leave the "Irish element" in America
shorn of it's beams: Never was there
sum ~ OOiuSiobs " IilSO America neeQS
ready hands and true hearts, whilst her
commerce requires Development, whilst her
prairies are to be titled and her forests
felled; whilst her Independence and liber-
ties need guardianship, the 'Irish element"
will retain it's influence in American poll
tics. But Ireland has an abiding interest
in the men of the Irish element for her own
sake as we'll as for theirs. She looks to
them across the ocean, with a great and
boundless hope. Citizens of o free and
emancipated nation, they never forget the
land Of their birth, and their aspirations sur
round her "eyen to the third and fourth
generations" All the concessions she
has ever extorted have been through the
soldiers OF statesmen of the Irish element
abroad, whether in France or America.
They have been her upfalteripg allies ever
and always. We owe them no weak graft
tnde, and believe in their power still to
right our native land from the wrongs that
bow her down. Around their fortunes our
hopes are conferred, and, as they progress
and grow powerful aud wax great in the
land of their adoption, our hearts follow
them reioicingly, as the eagle follows the
sun. Long live the Irish element in