New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-04-13
JOHN mitchell.

| memory OF this remaIkaole m1o' An'
biographical brief is distinct and sum
mary, yet demonstrates the leading events
. of a life consistent to particular pur
pose and checkered by trials unusual IL
modern history. We perfectly agree with
Mr.. New that the terms Of obloquy im
posed upon Mr.. Mitchell by the English
people no more affected his patriotic char
acter than the term 'beggars, applied by
the naughty courtiers CT Philip dishon'
ored the burgomasters of Holland. This
term was adopted by those to whom it was
applied as a political appellation which
carried them to victory and freedom from
the most cruel combination of bigotry and
despotism which has ever afflicted man
kind. 1t was in the same spirit Of con-
tempt for an infamous appellation that
brought "rebel' Of 1876 into a colonial
court to expiate the sentence of "a cord
about his neck" with "a bit OF Manchester
binding"
All must concede sincerity to man
who had done and endured as much for
his country as John Mitchell.
| We claim on behalf Of the Republican
government and party as sincere regard
for the rights and happiness OF the Irish
as can be offered by any others. This
we say to give the force Of impartiality
to observations which we deem to the
advantage of the Irish people themselves.
The people born in Ireland and living in
the United States in 1870 numbered
1888, 726. Of these about twelve per cent
were resident in the States formerly slave
holding, including the cities OF st.
Louis, Louisville and Baltimore. The
slave States of the Atlantic and Gulf
States held population born in Ireland
Of less than 10000, or about two
thirds of one per cent. It would follow
from these figures that the federal army
must have contained much the largest
portion of Irish engaged in the late civil
war; These federal Irish were led by
such men as Thomas Francis Meagher,
one of John Alitchel's associates in
sentence and exile, Corcoran, G. Z.
Halpin, Miles O'Reilly and others Of the
same political school. On the principle
applied to Mr.. Mitchell, the motives Of
all these federal soldiers are entitled to
respect. Our explanation Of tie cause
why these immigrant or exiled
irishmen took opposite sides in the
war is this. Upon principle. all
the Irish who had fought for the secession
of Ireland from the British Union, and
for the establishment of a national
autonomy for Ireland should have fought
with the South. The Irish patriots, how
ever, took this view: The American re-
public exercises powerful agency in CIV
ing moral protectorate to Ireland; not |
improbably our vote at some period may |
occasion the positive intervention of this |
power, and the island of Ireland may as |
well become a State of the american !
Union as the islands of Cuba or of |
Owhyhee. We assume for all immigrant |
Irishmen the same absorbing and exclu-
sive love of Ireland which Mr.. New has |
eloquently attributed to Mitchell, and
which induced him to abandon the United
States for the home service of Ireland.
While we deny and denounce any
reservation of civil or ecclesiastical
allegiance to any foreign power, We
and respect the para
mount spirit OF devotion to repu blican
liberty wheresoeyer its glorious banner
nay be unfurled. What then was so nat
sral as that those men who Quilted Ire
and with some immature hope that Amer
ca would shelter and possibly save Ireland
" her moral Intervention? What so pos
IDLE that men poor and unarmed in Ire
and coming to America to be born into
be mature manhood Of republican free
om should have been unwilling to see
hat nationality from which they hoped so
nuch torn apart by just such dissensions
s they had left at home and paralyzed
y political anarchy in which the dex-
erous fingers of British diplomacy We're
erhaps to them visible?
Perhaps John Mitchell was true to the
principles Of secession and disunion as he
nderstood them, but Meagher and those
Tho acted with him were perhaps more
consistent with that which
Ir. Mitchell has proved to have been the
aramount object Of his political exist
nee: that is, to assure protection, liberty ,
nd nationality to Ireland. i
This brings US to consider the homo 7
Obey of Mitchell, Meagher and Smith 7
'Brien as representative men. Mr.. New +
escribes OConnell and his policy. It D.,
as q Quaker policy. 1t relied on remon- y
rance and conviction. O'Connell is .
uoted as saying he would achieve the
ghts Of Ireland ''by legal, peaceable and r
means alone: by the cleo q
lefty Of public opinion; by the moral T
'mbination of good men and by the en- e.
llment Of 100000 Of repealers / am o
sciple of that sect of politicians who be- :,
eve that the greatest of ali sublunary n
essings is too dearly purchased at the T
pense of a single drop of human blood a
This was s'agitation in the British | c.
lion." This policy, continued for forty Il
ars, was a failure, as all mere ''agita- II
IN" must be. O'Connell concentrated r
d controlled the people of Ireland 81