Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-18

has the lace 10 declare tnat w llllam OF orange |
fought that battle "to make Ireland captive |
and bind her to the chariot of the
British empire" Another of these writers de-
murs to this, and states clearly what the bat tie
implied. He says, it did notin any way concern
the nationality of Ireland for the English con-
quest of Ireland took place 500 years earlier.
The battle of the BOyne was fought to deter
mine whether James H. or William of Orange
should be king of Great Britain. Neither of
these kings sought to release Ireland from Brit
ish rule: and there never was an English SOW
ereign more opposed to granting Ireland this
release, than James who was conquered. Irish
men fought on both sides, and James had the
assistance of a French army. The question at
issue was this: Shall James IL. be allowed
to revolutionize the British government and re-
store the Catholic ascendancy7 The writer to
whom we refer states the case thus:-"William
with the Protestant Bible, James with the Cath
ole Bible; and while the books differ, the steel
they both clutch is the same, and that steel is
for the heart of Ireland should she dare to lift
hand to throw off that yoke which Catholic
England forged and Protestant England riv-
eted."
One Irish editor urges, in strong terms, the
duty of foreign born citizens to lay aside all
mischievous traditions and passions of the old |
world and become Americans. If he has him
self encouraged agencies and influences hostile
to a faithful discharge of this duty, perhaps he
will not be found doing this, hereafter. He sees
what is demanded, and talks to his readers
thus" Are we acting in our capacity of citi- |
Zens, as Americans, or are we simply robed |
with citizenship, and, meanwhile, building up
our German provinces, our Irish provinces, our
English shires, our Scotch burghs; cultivating
all our local hates and pleasures and settling,
like Indians, in our separate reservations"
Some of his readers need to consider this ques
ton. 1t win do no harm to have it pressed
earnestly upon foreign born citizens of every
nationality; but he seems TO understand that |
his Irish fellow-citizens specially need to study
the lesson it suggests. We think he may him
self study it with profit. Has he not |
encouraged organizations which withdraw |
those engaged in them from cultivating |
American feelings and aims, and train |
them to become more intensely foreign in their |
sympathies, than they were when they left the |
green isle to become Americans? Has he not |
seen an "Irish Republic" organized in this coun-
try with its president its senators, and its mill
tary orders, ready to be carried across the At |
lantic, and set up in Ireland? Has he not seen |
military expeditions prepared by foreign born |
citizens, in violation of law, and sent to invade
Canada, not in behalf of any American inter-
est, but in behalf of sympathies and aims
wholly foreign to the country in which they
live2 We hope he will give these questions Sc
rious attention. We agree with him, that for |
eign born citizens should become Americans,
and not allow themselves to to be constructed |
into provinces" of the country from which |
they came.
The question here relates, not to the fact of
American sympathy with Ireland or with any
other oppressed country, but to the method of
manifesting this sympathy. The American peo-
pie are always on the side of liberty wherever
1t takes issue with tyranny; but they are not
always afoot as armed crusaders against tyranny.
They have learned that effectual help for OPP
pressed peoples must come first of all from them
selves. To become an American means good
deal more than to live in the United States and
profess republican principles. Such organiza
tons and proceedings as our questions indicate,
are inconsistent with the obligations and duties
of American citizenship. They do not allow
those engaged in them to become truly Ameri-
can, for how is it possible for these men to be-
come thoroughly American, while they are in
fuenced by such engrossing devotion to foreign
interests and aims2 Many of them, probably,
do not intend to be permanently American citi-
zens. We have no desire 10 blame their pur-
poses. But, we insist that those who make the
United States their adopted country, should be-
come Americans and discharge properly the du-
ties OF citizenship. This does not require them
TO forget the land of their birth; but it does re-
qure loyalty to the spirit and institutions of the
land of their adoption.
One of our Irish contemporaries is vehement
against some of those who have written like
madmen about the bloody check received by the
rioters, and calls them ga disreputable minority
who are writing and spouting treason to this re-
public and destruction to our people" But the
language of this minority" though much
wilder, is quite as strong. Some of them are so
lar gone in lunacy as to cry out for IAN Irish
American party" in politics. An article in one
of the papers, urges immediate movement for
TINS purpose. They must have national cohe-
SION, he says; that is to say; there must be in
TINS country an Irish nationality politically or
ganized Another Irish paper quotes this arti-
Gle, and, being unusually stirred in spirit, com
ments in this way;-'In all the laundering of
the IRISH race, in all the evil council which has
sent them headlong to the devil. we know Of
nothing to equal this for foolishness and vicious
ness. IL is manifest that the proposed party
will not be formed without serious opposition
flya nft 10 hoe A.