New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-04-18
WHAT BECAME OF THE FENIAN ARMSi

To me Edttor Of The Trt6une
SIR: The tone of recent editorials in a
Now York Administration organ gives amusing evidence
OF tho desperate anxiety OF tho friends OF Grant TO d.
vide opposition TO his reelection by srousnS national
ALPHABETICALLY endeavorng to array our adopted cit
zens OF German and Irish birth against each other
pandering tho assumed prejudces OF the one Glass;
aud exaggeratng and oarcaturns the apparent weak
ness OF the other That the edtor OF The Times should
not be friendly freshmen TO be expected from MS
origin that is congenal for him TO SANDER In vulgar
TERMS their character is only natural but it berays
bad case when argument IL superseded by scurrilous
oaumny Tho conduct OF The Times Ia certainly not
calculated TO keep in tho Administration ranks that
largo number of Irisbmen who have been Republicans
when 1t required high order Of moral courage to be So
interest having 10 be sacrificed to principle ana VINO noe
only abored earnestly for Republican principles when
The Times gave them cold support. but also fought
therefor under tho United States flag 1t Is Ger
ainly wise policy for tho proprietor OF The Times to
say he s au impersOnay, aud not responsible for ts
SANDERS when asked to prove its accusations but IL
provos that its management il az cowardy as
knavish. 1t admres THE Murphy an excontractor but
can SEQ aristocracy" in the Murphy, an exs0dier
1t sneers at Irish the list Of the officers OF the
Liberal Republican mass meeting Last Friday. and can
find responsibility" among them. though some OF
tho names it ignorsnty uses arc those OF men VINO
served with distinction officers during the late war
They may not have been political generals politicians or
contractors soldiers and did their duty 70
their adopted country at tho risk Of their lives Did The
Times e1tort Yet no sanctimonously leers at their
right to act politically their Judgment dictates The
tone OF Tho itself is sufficient reason for natu'
rallied citizens to oppose the cenrazing policy OF the
present Administration and tho Know Nothing tendency
of its supporters However. from English sources the
Irish only expect abuse.
1t may appear novel. yet the fact that many irish
men arc deeply Interested tho proceedings Of the
finn
reason to be- material belonging to them was ds-
posed OF In peculiar manner by tho Government. The
facts arc portion OF Irish national organization
made an attempt to invade Canada nearly two years
ago. against OF the majority Of said society
taking arms belonging thereto The affair was as anci
pated- failure and its leaders arrested Several thou
sand stand Of arms and other material was found
accumulated at certain point. and seized by tho u s.
authorities THIS property was not In tho hands OF the
raiders arrested and belonged principally To mon
who opposed this raid The property was semitic the u
g. Arsenal at watervle NJ " and as the Irish societies
Interested had consolidated and opposed to future
attacks Canada committee OF leading Republicans
was sent Washington to request the return OF this
OF tbe neTray laws The President score
taries Of Treasury and War Departments were Inter
ama eaV So@sme With several
went to see the Federal Ocers on the matter and
committee not fully satisfied requested that in the
arms ordered sold that they would DO informed 80
Every reason was however. given to expect return Of
tho property valued at near 100000 whchtwas really
private property and had no: been used In any overt
Act against tho laws OF the Unltod States yet naturally
caused establishment 10 those Interested when
they were appraised " the fact that tho material
mad been disposed Of, at sale by no means puolc,
10 speculators, breech-loadnR muskets worth from
S5 70 go being sold for less than r. This was about IL
months ago. ut time when some ono could rese tnem'
for nice margin Of profit. when war material was 50
high owing to tho demand created therefor by the
Franco German war. But we must presume that me
Administration was not playing into the hands or is
speouatng friends cOgnzant OF the fact that PAD
arms could be sold at high rate to the French though
every one else could find this ont, even the writer VINO
was interested IN tho sale Of some ammunition ana u
did not take much observation to note that the goods
went direct from the place Of sale to French vessel
Possibly we have right to complain of tine action OF
tina Administration this matter some Will aege they
were raised improper purposes but IN law however,
the act must prove the intent, and we have too much
10 feel that Administration first deceived and
afferward robbed us property, and consigned IL
over In specua,ors for nominal value. This circum-
stance with many others that might DO detailed ex-
"ians wbv Irish Republicans In favor OF the
cincinnati that they want or were turned
out OF office but because they IN favor OF honest,
Economical and Just government and opposed 70 pro.
scripton for political preferences To have been turned
ont OF office under tho Administration within the past
two years unwillin 10 sink the ndepen
dence OF American citizen INTO siavish Official sub
mission. WV D. "''""@'"''
Nep- York. April II. 1872.