Weekly Trinity journal., 1875-03-20
JOHN MITCHELL,

The Irish people Of Tipperary have
again elected John Mitchell their repre-
sentative to Parliament by the large ma
jority of 2,36S votes over his Conservative
The singular part of the af-
fair is that Mitchell was elected and de-
clared ineligible by the House of Com
mons, and such will doubtless be the case
when he again presents himself to claim
a seat in that body. The reason Of John
Mitchell's incompetency is in the fact
that he was rebel in the Irish insurrec-
ton in 1913, and has never been pardoncd
by the British Government.
1t may not be amiss in view Of the
Democratic howl against oppression"
which is being visited upon the Southern
rebels to draws little comparison between
this case of Mitchell and the treatment Of
prominent actors in the American rebell-
ion. Mitchell was leader in the Irish
revolutionary movement in 1918 twenty
six years ago. For the part he took he
was condemned to transportation. He
escaped from the penal colony and came
TO the United States, and now, when he
appears as the elected representative Of a
portion of his countrymen, the penalty of
his old crime against the British Govern
ment meets him again and effectually
bars the way Of his political aspirations.
To ala i. g..
there is no hope that the House of Com
mons will recede from the position it has
taken. 1t simply indicates that the elect
ors Of Tipperary want Mitchell for their
representative-or they are willing to go
unreprcsented. While this scene is being
enacted in the mother country, here a
| Congress has been elected which will
contain eighty-fve members who either
held positions under the Confederate
| Government or commissions in the Con-
federate army. These eighty-fve mem
bcrs can shape the course of the party to
which they belong, which, in its turn,
constitutes a large majority of the lower
branch Of Congress. Comment is super
| fluous.
We care nothing for Mitchell, and so
far as he personally is concerned are glad
that he is snubbed. We have not for
gotten, nor can the American people for
get, that when he landed on our shores an
exile from British oppression, he was re-
ccived with hearty welcome by all par
ties and all classes. And scarce had the
ship which brought him hither furled its
sails, ere he betrayed how little true love
Of liberty was in his heart, by becoming
the apologist Of Southern slavery here.
Nor can we forget that when the Southern
| rebellion, to institute a government "to
which African slavery should be the cor
ner stone," was commenced, the weight
of his talent was thrown against the gov
ernment whose people had received him
kindly, and though he did not bear arms
in the Rebellion, he sought to aid it in
every other way. So if Mr.. Mitchell
does not get much sympathy from the
American people he need only look at his
career as a citizen Of this country to find
the reason why. AS John Mitchell we
care nothing for him and would gladly
see him languish in obscurity but as the
choice Of II constituency we hope to see
the English Government follow the liber-
al policy adopted by our own, and re-
move the disabilities which prevent the
Irish statesman from sitting in Parliament
as we fully believe the course will be
wiser in the end.