Daily Republican., 1880-09-08
AN IRISH CONVERT TO REPeB'
LIOANIsM.

AN IRISH CONVERT TO KEP6B.
LIOANlsM.
what col. W. r. Resd, . Promi'
nent Chieago Irssnman. saSs.
An important political conversion is
announced in the Chicago Tribune
that Of Col. W. P. Rend, 3 prominent
and Influential Irishman OF that city.
The Colonel gives such good reasons
for supporting the Republican candi-
dates and the Republican cause that
We make few extracts from an inter
view between him and reporter OF
the Tribune. The reporter opened the
conversation thus:
COL. W. P. RBsD.
SIS il true, Colonel, that you have
decided to leave the Democratic party
and vote and &C. with the Republi-
cans Z" asked the reporter, AZ he ran
across the late Colonel Of the Second
Regiment, and the late President Of
the Union Catholic Library AssociA-
tion.
ST is." replied Col Rsnd, with be-
coming brsvlty.
sand your reasopsf"
"In the past have not been active
ly interested in political matters, not
aspiring to any Office, and my business
being OF such character as to engage
all my time, have not wanted office,
anSaI don't want any now. In short,
| p9ker expect to run for office. But l
feel that 1t is q serious question for ev'
cry citizen, and especially for every
business man, to determine correctly
as to how he shall cast his vote in the
coming election. 10 common with the
Irishmsn In this country, | have voted
the Democratic ticket. But, on ref'c-
tion, see no logical reason why !
should do so any longer.
On the other hand, there are several
very important reasons why l feel 1t
my duty to vote with the Republican
party. The chief Of these Is that | con-
slider the fundamental principles Of that
party as true. II has been the party OF
freedom aud Of progress; 1t enfranchised
q own-trodden race; it preserved the
Union; it Is the party Of intelligence
and enlightenment; and for those and
other reasons it is deserving Of support.
Unfortunately the Irish people Of this
country have voted the Democratic
ticket and
AGAINST THE INTERESTS
ofa suffering and down.trodden race.
This, in my judgment, Is due to . want
OF information or Misrepresentation.
The Irish people at home have 81
ways sympsthizsd with the cause Of
freedom, and the chief emancipator OF
the Irish people Of the present century
% Conuell- radically opposed to
slavery in every form. During our late
war, too, the people Of Ireland sympa
thised with the people Of the North and
the English with the slave owners. |
am sure that il they were to reflect upon
the effect Of their political course they
would have voted against the party that
upheld slavery instead Of allying
themselves with IT,"
"You were q war Democrat yourself,
were you noti"
Thirty years ago l entertained the
belief that slavery was right.
considered tlat the mere subjec'
tion of the black race to the whites was
not an evil in itself. But with those
favorable impressions Of slavery, and
the most favorable and friendly i'm
pressions toward the Southern people,
wen! TO live in their midst, and re-
sid sd there for four years prior to the
war. had been there but q short
time when my views underwent q rad
ical change, and | was convinced that
slavery was an evil Of the greatest mag
nitude, and that its horrors had not In
the least been overdrawn. When the
war broke out regarded The occurrence
as q visitation from above to punish the
country for the terrible crime 1t had
committed against an inofensive and
suffering race.
left the South and Joined the
Northern army, and l now feel that ! can
not consistently ally myself with apsrty
| that would plaes in power the very men
tina: sought the destruction Of the
Government, and against whom the
Union soldiers fought. am sure that
the latter. democrats as we'll as Repub-
licans, would not have f,ught with
that spirit and with tAst courage which
they manifested tbroug ghout the war, II
they had expected that within twenty
years the very men against whom they
we're fighting would seek to obtain ab-
soluts control Of the Government. !
believe that q large number Of War
Democrats who were in the army will
be brought to realizing sense Of