National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-04-07
I'd then adjourned.
Mitchell and Martin.

To the Editor of the National Republican:
SIR: II is very remarkable that while the Irish
people Of this country are holding memorial
meetings" and making arrangements for Sunday
parades in honor of the late John Mitchell, no
steps have been taken to honor the memory Of
John Martin q more honored and much more con-
sistent, useful and practical Irish patriot.
OF all the men who figured in the famous
"Young Ireland" movement of '4s, John Martin,
though not perhaps the ablest, stood conspicuous
for his unselhsh patriotism, virtue and devotion
to principle. He Indeed deserved the noble title,
the noblest a citizen can win, "Honest John Mar
tin" When Ireland, in the language Of Charles
Gayen Dufey, "lsy like corpse on the dissecting-
spd SsSstaIs fanyne
plague had swept from her soil two and q half
millions Of her people, and hope had fed the land,
the vain effort to shake of the iron grasp Of Eng
land, John Martin alone had faith in the inherent
strength and vitality of ireland; and though he,
as well as Mitchell and Meagher, bore the felon's
brand on his brow, on his return to ireland imme-
diately commenced to organize resistance to Eng
hsh domination through the Home Rlle" move
the days Of Catholic emancipation has enlisted
the sympathes and secured the support of the
Irish people. For several years he stood alone,
almost alone, like light in the desert, calling
on his eountrymen to shake of their lethargy and
rally around the standard Of Home Rule"
During all this time John Mitchell was the
bitter enemy Of the movement, ridiculng and
QenOunclDg II as q fraud, Qeluslon and q
snare, as he denounced every other movement
not lead by himself from the days of repeal to che
day Of his death; and we doubt If any event of his
life was foolish or as impractcable as his can
didacy for seat in Parliament, or half as incon-
sistent when we remember that he admits that
he was Ineligible, and only ran as candidate to
make the Government Of England and parlia-
mentary representation odiOus in ireland. In
ether words, he deliberately went to Ireland to
create an excitement, which while 1t entSiled eX-
pense on the already impoverished electors,
caused the shedding Of blood bad and bitter feel
tngs among the people, and tended to make
Home Rule" as lead by Martin, Butt and ,other
men far Mr.. M1tchels superiors in wisdom and
craftsmanship, OdiOus.
No one who has watched the movements OF par
ties in the British islands for the last quarter Of
century can help but admit that this Home
Rule" organization has combined the strength Of
cOrdant elements Of her population, and has done
any movement ever organized by them. And
''honest John Martin" as high priest Of the
temple, was from the beginning until the hour
Of his death the moving spirit, the soul and in
SEPARATION that moved 1t and filled it with hope OF
eventual success. He has now gone to his hnsl
account, and If the Irish people, while they are
shedding such cOpious floods Of tears over the
tomb Of John Mitchell, refuse to bedeW the fresh
mound over the remains Of the pure and Virtuous
John Martin, and by that means give nourish-
ment and fertilization to the shamrock which will
soon blossom over his clay, then all we have to
say is that John Martin labered for the regenera-
tion OF land and people that were unworthy OF
him. O.