National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-01-11
4 "CORk" MIN.
General Grant and the Cork Corporation

10 he Editor Of hc National Repubicdn:
SIN: From my sick bed crave the courtesy the
Justice of brief space in your columns to show to
the American public who and what the members Of
the cvcr-to.bo.despised Cork corporation arc.
The so-cnlled Catholic and liberal portion of the
corporation is candldly speaking. nothing more
nor less than the unthinkins tools of the great
Catholic families Of Cork, who are In turn but the
tools of pricstly power, which, by indircchon, has
ruled the city for many years eliminating in the
damning disgrace just brought Us by cable. AS
Cork man ] desire to relieve that city from the
shame which those who, misreprcSentng its citi-
2ens have endeavorcd TO attach 10 them. This cor
poration. consisting of fourteen aldermen and for
ty.two town councillors, il is stated objected to
General Grant because of his alleged dislike to
catholicism. How absurd! Italy, Spain, and
France, the "pillOrs Of the church" opened their
gates and hearts to him, the greatest soldier and
statesman of modern America. And who dcpuicd
this dcSpicable knot OF blOned burgCsSes TO assume
the attitude reported in alleged deiense of cntho
iClsm.
Frcnch-"rhc Irish are the asses of the church !;
they bear the burden and receive none Of the hon
ors." Where was theirzaa when the International
Association formed section III Cork They were
passive, thinking that thc NntionOists Of Cork-the
only true representatives Of It's cilcus-would. by
S, ME iudscrctlon play into the hands Of their
masters the local priests. They were disappointed
and the International died ont In Cork the Cork
Nalionoists Withholding all sympathy from it.
lnlS COfrupl corporation Will crawl on It's cow
ardly bgoted knees to pay NbIect homage 10 some
spawn of monarchy who may visit the city but
they have nothing but ndignity TO bcStow upon
the chief citizen Of the greatest nation on carth-a
nation that nus been lreluuds steadnst friend dur
ing its existence. They will cNpond thousands of
pounds to celebrate the birth Of prince, and Will
not devote one plund To the formation of free
public library. They will layishly apply funds TO
the construction of aristOCrnuc prOmCnadcs and
drives, such as the Marina and do next TO nothing
to better the condition OG7OO00 citizens who live in
sQualor( (whO are not citizens because they have no
voice under the luW--therc are only little over
1000 voters In COrk) The whole career of these
COunCimcn at Cork may be briefly stated to he
the doing Ofnny mean degrading act that may
wnR j. p. to their names, and after that then the
ambition centres on being appointed either resi-
dent magistrate, which bglugS salary from the
Crown, or through the aid Of the great Catholic
families being elected to the House of Commons.
How they could reconcile this act just reported
with their sCrylity to the Crown Is not quite clear
the English government having received Grant
with all honor-but perhaps rs they have
been the steady opponents of the National
i,ts-aud Cork being par excellence the chcl
city Of the National party, they. hoped by
their mean proceeding TO reflect ulurlousy on
the council represented the Nalonlsts would
bcstow upon the utterlhe contempt !he former SO
thoroughly deserved Did the Irish National
use this expression, II could have been accom-.
pllshed but such would only end in exchanging
one dCspOtiSm for OnOthcr-the English for the
clerical. or these two the better selection Is
at once apparent, The NutOnnlsts pursued
the brOnd, clear duty dictated by true republican
ISM free on the one hand from clerical dOmua-
ton, and on the other from anarchy aud kindred
cNCesscs. Hence tho hostility of the Catholic
clergy with few Cver-to.be rGvered exceptions
aud the cstrdngement of the Reds | have intro
duCed this Nationals" question because the cable
alleges some Of the Nationalist asked Grant why
he did not receive O'COnnor Power and some per-
son In the columns OF THE NATIONAL REPUBLiCAN
gives Grants treatment of the two members Of Par
Lament, PowerRnd pamcll, withau address from The
IRISH nation as the cause Of the bigOted action vi
the Cork corporation,
Let me remove this misunderstanding or error
! o Comnor Power Is not II Nationalist III fact he
commenced his political career Ms an enemy of the
National organization There Is no Irish nation tC
dppute these two members 10 present an address Ia
General Grant, then President. There Is an Irish
come n nation. No true Nationalist desires 10 blind
himself tI the exact status Of his fellow country
men by either the formation IN UuiOu Square of all
the machinery of a national Irish government OF
/ by mawkish sentiment or lyric bOsh fool himself
/ into the idea that his simple desires are acCOlnp
/ Nshed facts. Nations are made by yirtuous force
/ and preserved by H. Grant would receive the nd
dress OF the Irish people, or any section Of them
| through the only oHicia chanue Ireland has viz
| the resident British Minister The etiquette Of hi,
his position, as well MS the steady Wntphuness Of 4
Congress, in large part hostile, eit him no aterna
tive for the exercise OF personal llkngs or private
dcsrcB In the matter Of this address Nothing 10
! maiael to him but the rigid performance OF The
duty laid down for him hy the Constitution and thl
/ Iy'.umau and Catholic as nm woulG have donI
/ the snmr had been In his place; Rud IL Ireland Il
not willing 20 accept the British Minister anywhere
us her political representative tNud / hope shC
/ never wild then lot her make an Irish na,lona
representation In fact
I She cannot have bestowed upon her, as PROV
luco of nu empire, those dlFnlues that are the re
! from substance Did Grants rigid adherence x
/ his duty WUuud sume Of my ardent poet country
! meu? GoOd. '4wUuld break away tho aEcc,