Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-10-14
The Irish World on Politics.

er plane and consider parties, not in
the light of principle, but 10 the light
of policy. Whatever may be urged
against the Republican Party, the
charge of ingratitude, at least, cannot
be laid at its door. 1t made capital
out of a negro; but it, in turn, confer
red rights on the negro and lifted him
into posision of honor. The negroes,
nat urally enough, have gone en- masse
with the Republican Party. The Irish,
on the other hard, have gone with the
Democratic Party. In fact in many
places, the Irish were the Democratic
Party. In Massachusetts, they consti-
tute about two-thirds of its voters. In
New York State they form a full half.
In New York City they probably num-
Der three 6fths. Democratic orators
have often detained that the Repub-
lican Party has made Governors, Sena.
tors, Legislators, and Mayors of mig
gers. The charge is true. Now, we
turn to those Democratic orators. and
ask how has the Democratic Party act
ed toward the Irish ? The orators will
not answer. We, however, will speak
for them. From the birth of the ma
ton till now never has an Irish-Ameri-
can satinthe gubernatorial chair in New
York, or Massachusetts. Never have
We had a Lientenant-Governor. Never
a Secretary of State. Never U. S.
Senator. Never Mayor of the two
principal cities. And yet it was to the
" Irish vote 7" the Democracy has had
to look for victory! The Republican
Party has treated the negroes as men:
the Democratic party has treated the
Irish as niggers. The other day the
Democracy assembled in convention in
New York and Massachusetts, to nomi
nate State officers.
Of the eleven names presented on
these two Democratic tickets, not
one is of the Irish race. And yet you,
Democratic stump-speakers, will have
the efrontery to come before our race,
in November, to ask US for votes
Such impudence is certainly refresh
ing. All We have to say in the matter
is, that if you get our votes, then we
deserve the contempt you throw upon
us.
1t will be said that the nominees on
these two Democratic tickets are very
good men. To this we have no reply.
They may be all very excellent gentle
men in their way. But the objection
is, not to the individual character of
the nominees, but to the invidious dis
tinction made in regard to race and re-
ligion. We could we'll excuse an over
sight But this studious ignoring of
our element must not be allowed to go
unrebuked. A list of "good men if
all those "good men are picked from
one race and one religion, though it
might be consistent under monarchy,
will not answer in republic. Equal
ity is the very essence of republican
ism. When the trainers of the Consti-
tuition inserted the clause forbiddins
the selection Of President and Vice
President from the same State, thew
did not mean to insinuate that two good
and competent men could not be found
in any given State; but knowing that
fitting men could be found in every
State. they threw out the hint that no
State, nor section, nor creed, should
aim at monopoly Of the Government,
but that, since "good men" can be
found 10 all states, and among all creeds
and races, political Offices should be
distributed impartially among all.
Let us be distinctly understood here.
We are under obligations to no party
to say anything but the truth. We
are not o6ice-holders. We are not
No relative of ours is
an office holder or an ofice-seeker.
'Tisn't spoazs we want, but recognition
OF our race. We demand nothing
that is not just. We say nothing that
duty does not prompt us to say. In
deed, our claims are based more on the
dure democratic principle--which de-
mands recognition for the whole people
than on any natural or selfish
feelings. 1t is as Americans, not as
lrishmen, we view the whole matter.
We are supposed to live under repre-
government but the govern
ment, to be truly representative, must
be composed of men selected from all
sections of the country, and from all
the elements Of the population. We
OF the Irish race have as good right
to representation as any other element.
AL other elements, of all other creeds. |
have just as good right as we-no
more, no less. This is the platform
all true democrats and all true republi-
cans must stand on. Were an Irish
political organization to start into exis-
tence tomorrow, having for its object |
monopoly of the representative Offices
tor Catholics and lrish-Americans. to |
the quiet exclusion of Protestants and |
non-lrish-Americans, we shopld onnose