The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-07-31
HON. A. L. MORRISON.

The republicans had what they called the
"openiDg of their campaign" in La Sale coun-
ty on Friday evening of last week, the leading
feature of 1t being speech at the court house
in Ottawa by Hon. A. l.. Morrison of Chicago.
He came with flourish of trumpets to repre-
sent, IN the language of John Wentworth, (sce
Saturdays Chicago Times, THE Irish Repub
licans. Oh yes. All ofliccholders ofiice-seek-
ers, and fellows who have lost their offices and
want them back. Know them. Doyou know
Billy Snowhook, down here at the cornery OF
course you do. Snowhook knows the Irish
Irish vote on the republican ticket, John, you
must put on one freshman. Ifyou want two,
you must put on two lrishmcn. The dlvil
one more they'll vote for on the republican
ticket but themselves He's right continued
Long john If the Irish get no nominations
on the republican ticket, they'll give US no
votes, and then rs little as they can help to
save appearances.
That Is the opinion OF very sagacious as
well as prominent and influential Chicago Re
publican leader of Mr.. Morrison and his
Irish Republicans, and goes far to explain why
we never see Irishmen nominated as candi
dates on Republican tickets.
1t is but justice to say that our court house
which on a big squeeze will hold four hun
bred people, was well 6lled-indeed packed
which is not usual at republican meetings in
Ottawa The fact that he had II full house had
its due effect on the speaker and he made the
most of 1t. In short, the predominant weak
ness of Mr.. Morrison is that he is terribly af
hicted with the cacGthes l0QueHdt Nothing is
easier than to start him on a talk, but you
might as well attempt to arrest the flow of the
Mississippi as stop him until he Is exhausted.
Under favorable circumstances, he usually
holds out about five hours--in the dank, op-
pressve atmosphere of our court room he cx-
hausted himself in three hours and half. a
few years ago the Fenian Brotherhood at Sen
eca were rejolced in being able to make an en-
gagement with the celebrated Irish orator and
Fenian leader, Mr.. Dillon, TO give them a
speech. He came at the time appointed, but
was accompanied by Mr.. Morrison. 1t was ar
ranged that Mr. NJ should introduce Mr.. Dbl
lon to the audience IN a few remarks. He got
the stand TO do so at about 8 o'clock in the
evening and it was half past eleven before he
could be choked Off OF course Mr. Dillon
refused to speak after the audience had been
thus outraged
Well, from an orator laboring under such
an iniirmity, what could one expectg Doubt
less in a speech of three hours and hall,
which the man has been substantially repeat
ing over and over for years, he ought by this
| time to have incorporated an occasional good
point MIR. Morrison has measurably done SO.
| What he said about English intolerance and
English oppression of the Irish people was III
the main true and iorcible, but be took away
all its edge and almost turned 1t into ridicule
by undertaking TO identify the Democratic
party of the United States with the British
government in its treatment of the IRISH peo-
pie. "Ofilce! office! oflce!" was the burden
of his talk. THE democrats never give tie
Irishmen their share of the offices" was the
ever recurring plant While Mr.. Morrison
J was democrat possibly that was true, SO far
al he was concerned, for we doubt whether ev.
en- perpetual seat in congress would have
satisfied him; but that the Democratic party,
wherever 1t has had fullsway, as in New York
city for instance, has ever been chary Of divid
4