Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-16


II the Irish people in this country were to ut
ter one prayer with more devotion than another,
we think it should be, "Save us from our lead
ers'P The consideration of the mysterious
union between an acknowledged impostor, i'm
beetle or fire-eater, and the people who are at-
fected by his words and acts, is full of interest
to any one who looks beneath the surface at
men and things. The authority of the dema-
gogue, or, rather, the federation with which peo-
pie bear his noisy assumption of authority,
springs from some metaphysical mystery far be-
yond the ken of common mortals fall dema-
gogues, not even excepting the Yankee, the
most impudent, ignorant, assuming, intolerant
and dangerous demagogue is the conventional
"lrish leader" Professionally, perhaps, he
claims to be lawyer, probably is an editor,
and almost certainly, has some indirect interest
in the liquor business. He is ready and many
worded orator, with voice hoarse and crack
ling from fiery drinks and shouting to an up
roarious and utterly uattentive crowd. He has
the cunning, easy look of ward politician, and
with his hand in his pocket he roars out his
jokes and denunciatons, exciting the naked
passions of his hearers, as the vile mixed drinks
excite their raw palates. Another demagogue
there is, of a mlder sort, but still more danger
Gus. He dresses in rusty Clothes and, cover
ing up his Ignorance with gravity, claims SUI
periority on the score of his superior learning.
He probably is distinguished member of a
temperance society, or appears to take an inter
est in the public schools. His addresses" are
composed of stereotyped phrases on the necessity
of temperance and education for "our people"
scattered iudiciously through some political
scheme either for his own or an employers
benefit, which he desires the people to swallow.
And he Succeeds-succeeds in winning their APP
pause and their friendship, and succeeds in
procuring for himself lucrative office, while in
the dark he has his chuckling laugh of pride at
his own "cleverness."
But the worst demagogue Of the whole bunch
= H. a.,I1.a Il =.
a crowded room to noisy audience; the people
who read his writing cannot see that he is blear
eyed and drunken; he speaks to o thousand
perhaps to two or three thousand people-and,
in general, his advice and remarks are far more
dangerous and detestable than those of either
the liquor interest, or the "eminently respecta-
Bile" demagogue. In all cases, the stock-in-
trade of the demagogue "Irish leader is
blatherskitc. Batherskite is compound: it is
made of five parts "Sunburstry' two parts Irish
bravery" four parts "bloody England" and the
remainder sunburstry and Irish excellence again.
Blatherskite is applied in different ways: some
times it is given to the patient with a small
spoon, as is practiced by some men and jour
nails who stand just on the verge of Irish indu-
ence-people who are in a constant self debate
as to whether they should pitch the Irish over
altogether or keep on tickling them in gentle
way; then, again, it is rubbed in with the whole
hand, or two hands, as is the case at "pOlitical
meetings" ward caucuses, and some lectures
But the most approved way to apply blather-
Skite-and the editorial article, at that's to
make the patient battle in it, drink of it, and
get drunk on it. We have protested lately
against the assertion that the Irish Catholics of
America were represented by the people who
make the riots Now we register another pro-
test and far more indignant one against the
charge that the Irish Catholics are represented
by the demagogue "leaders" who have sprouted
up-either in the shape of speech makers or So
called "lrish-American journals" Were we to
be forced to choice we should thousand times
prefer as representatives the hot headed, ignO-
rant fellows who want to smash the Orangemen,
rather than the rascals who incite them to vio-
lence. We must protest against anything
which these people or journals say being consid-
cred Catholic, Irish-American or national. The
ranters or ScribblerS represent nothing but their
own need. They speak and write for their own
gorifcation of their own pockets. The only in
tereSts represented by them are the interests of
corrupt politics, secret societies or their own.
We notice in one of the most prominent Of
the demagogic journals lately vilely executed
piece OF blatherskte which was advertised
through the country as "the great national en-
craving" We protest very strongly against
that, and all of its kind which may be yet UNI
born in the brain of the great artist We pro-
test against their birth-at least if he means to
call them national children. In the same
journal we notice an editorial call for "an
Irish-American party" for which the dangerous
demagogue says "the necessity is forced upon
us" We can tell him that the deg IS surely
coming when the necessity of pui 'shing the
author of such criminal folly will DC forced
upon the Irish people of America. Day after
day we see sheets called Irish American
journals filled with such blatant nonsense or
suicidal advice Thank Heaven these produc-
tons are not very numerous, nor do they COM
pete in influence with our respectable Irish
American press. But their existence is sore,
which will spread as all sores do if neglected.
The Irish people should keep their eyes on these
fellows who sway the passions of the most ig-
occasion that arises it is the duty of Irish
American Catholics, in view of their own re-
spectability, to protest shortly and decisiyely
against these wonld.be representative Irish
leaders" or Irish newspapers. "-BoSt0n Post.