The Portland daily press., 1880-09-09
N. Y. Tablet.l
Irish Republicans Organizing

The Irish-American Republican Association
of this city has issued an address to the Irish
American residents of the United States, ac-
companied by call for State Convention, to
meet at Saratoga September q. The main OBJ
ject of the convention is to devise means Of
disseminating the principles Of the Republi-
can party among the thousands Of intelligent
and educated young Irishmen who, during the
past ten or fifteen years, have landed on our
shores and have become citizens Of the United
States, as also to educate Irishmen as to the
true principles and policy Of the Republican
party in relation to naturalized citizens.
The address is an able one. Its tone is mod
crate, and it appeals by facts and figures to the
intelligence and not to the passions of our fell
low Irish citizens. 1t is document that Irish
Democrats as well as Republicans might read
with interest, for it tells great many truths
that it would be well for them to know and
digest.
We have always looked upon it as an insult
to the intelligence and independence of our
Irish citizens when we hear the assertion that
Decause they are Irish they cannot vote any
other but the Democratic ticket This cry is
raised by Office holders and Office seekers, men
who are ready to change their party or their
politics as their interests demand, and many Of
whom are to-day keeping the Democracy Of
New York broken up into factions in order to
subserve their own selfish ends.
Should any one insult an intelligent German
by telling him that he must vote for this party
or that, he would Indignantly reply that his
vote was his own, and not the politicians, and
that he meant to record it as his conscience
dictated for whoever he thought the best man
or party to forward the interests Of the country
and to maintain our glorious Republican insti-
tutions free and untrammelled.
1t is this independence that makes the Ger
man influence all-powerful in city, State and
national politics, while the Irish exercise little
or no consideration, for the Democrats feel
sure of their votes and give them no recogni-
ton, while the Republicans despair of concili-
ating them.
This is so evident to everyone thatit requires
no argument ON our part to prove it, and any
Irish citizen who gives this subject moments
consideration must recognize the fact that the
Irish, though so numerically strong, are politi
cally ostracized, and all because they blindly
follow the leadership of cunning politicians
who merely use them to gain their own ends
and throw sops in the shape of small offices to
few whom they find useful tools In their
hands.
The address alluded to is signed by Thomas
r. Bannerman, member of the Irish American
Republican National Committee for the State
of New York, and about seventy-five other
prominent Irishmen in different parts Of the
United States. The cry will be raised no doubt
by the partisan papers that this is to be con-
yention Of office holders, but on looking over
the names we find that at least nine out of ten
of them are either business or professional men
of high standing in the community where they
reside.
which certain Democratic organs try to cast
at men because they hold office under the Fed
eral Government, or why this should debar
them from the exercise of their rights as free
citizens of a free republic If men were to be
excluded from taking part in politics because
they hold office, we would ask, what would
become of the Democracy of New York city,
| for is it not fact that every prominent man in
| the party, from the boss down to the humblest
whipper-in, is either an ofhce-holder or an
| ofdce-seeker?
Without going into details, we would simply
| say that the Irish owe the Democratic party
| nothing. while it owes its very existence TO
| their votes, and yet they have never received
| in return anything but the crumbs tnat Ieii
from the. political table.
| With the lesson of sixty thousand American
Democratic votes cast against M mr.. .,;1 Norman
| Samnable fact that if the most worthy Irish
American is put on the State ticket, the Demo
Gratis. who claim to own the Irish vote, scratch
| him for a Republican, is not this true? Is
| not this humiliating in the extreme?
The Irish voters should rise in their man
hood and Independence and protest against
| this vile barter of their votes. They should,
| if possible, organize an Irish independent
| party, which could not be controlled either by
| Democrats or Republicans. II this Is not lea
| sible. they should stand by their rights and OBJ
| ligations as American citizens, and only give
| their allegiance to that party which properly
| acknowledges their claims as citizens OF this
| great country.