The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-05-26

certain path along which he walks, and all his
countrymen must walk with him or follow him
in that path under pen atty OF being denounced
in private and in public as traitors and anti
patriots. He even sometimes carries his folly
to call it by no harsher name-so far as to
attempt TO coerce all who differ with him into
submission to his dictates. He may be regard
ed by the majority of his fellow citizsns as
brainless, ignorant fsnato who does not I'M
derstand the hset principles OF the liberty he
advocates but he is not affected by the opin-
ion of others he pushes forward furiously, his
mouth filled with imprecations and his hand
armed with bludgeon. to terrify by threats
or beat into submission all who do not choose
to follow him as their leader. The objects OF
his enmity are not the enemies Of his country.
These he passes by. He would as soon think
of attacking them as he would OF confronting
the levelled bsyonet of the soldier, or the lead
ed baton of the policeman. His violence ts di-
rooted against men whose avowed opinions are
similar to his own. Men of this GLASS may be
sincere in their opinions, but their conduct Is
highly ipjarious to the cause of freedom. They
drive honest. intelligent, and self-respecting
men from out the arena Of politics, which Is
armed with bis bludgeou. But not only do
they keep back the orderly, sober, and intefti-
gent from entering upon the field of political
agitation, but they even render them support
ers Of government which, though IL NAV to
some extent be bad and tyrAnnous, yet offers
greater liberty than could be hoped for under
This lie sketch from the very life.
but clearly "Ihs Boosting and Dragging
Patriot' and "The Sponging Patriot"
These, we think, are not really separate
and distinct classes the Intolerant, above
described, is usually q Braggart and
Sponger also. If he succeeds BY some un-
expected coup in disturbing a patriotic
meeting, if he raids upon it with an organ
lied party of dupes, or of fanatics like
himself, If he creates furious riot, has the
assembly room wrecked, and gives or gets
a broken nose or q cut head, he boasts and
brags of bis prowess for months afterwards
as if he had captured fort from the en-
emy or sunk an iron clad; he considers
himself hero, and entitled to get any
quantity of drink gratis from true patriots
He thinks that Irishmen who agree In his
political views and approve his acts ought
to feel themselves honored if he conde.
scends TO ''borrown little money from
them, or leaves them to pay any trihing
debts he may have incurred while in their
locality. IL is vain to argue with the In
tolerant. He cannot or will not be brought
to see the unfairness and unwisdom of his
conduct the fact that even the cause
which he desires TO serve must be injured
by it is too remote and subtle thing to be
grasped by his intellect. He has crooked
sort of logic of his own by which he can
justify his folly to himself. Whatever
policy or politician he dislikes he will tell
You is a sh am shams, he will then tell
JOuJ hluSI 10 Pub hc 30
to employ for their suppression blackthorn
stickR, legs of chairs, paving stones, or any
other Implements that may come handy to
him. Some of the Intolersnts, however,
do not go in for physical operations of this
kind they content themselves with keep
ing up war of words upon patriots who
are not of their own way of thinking, and
this might be fair enough only that they
consider they ought to have the aggressive
part of the war all to themselves. They
like to strike, but they expect not to be
struck again they think it excellent fan
to satiriee "agitators," but they de not like
to have sham warriors laughed at they
are very severe and wonderfully witty on
the delays, the disappointments and the
failures of constitutional movements, but
they expect to have the collapse of their
own plans and projects treated with infinite
tenderness. And then any little touch of
reprisaI provoked by their own conduct
they complain of as If it were an attack on
Irish patriotism, an effeBce against the ma
tionsl cause, q stab at Mother Erin herself.
But we need not further dwell upon the
morals or the manners of the several
classes of protesting patriots referred to
by "Patricius Hibernicus." We feel GER
tain that the honest and true men in the
national ranks Outnumber the tntoiOrants,
BraggaTts, and the ShamB by thousand to
one. We believe that the political educa.
tiOn of our countrymen is advancing and
we regard the little work before us very
well calculated to assist in the onward ard
upward movement.