Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-10-07
The Irish Vote.

To the Editor of the Kennebee JonrHaG
OF the Irish vote in this State, according
to q recent statement of Senator Blame, tue
democratic party receives 60Oo, whiie the re-
publican party receives but 600; and doubt
less these figures are nearly correct. "nat
GREAT boon has the democratic party con-
ferred on the Irish people that they should
give to that party so unanimous support
The record of the democratic party fans 10
show wherein it has conferred on the irist,
neonle any great benefit On the other hand
What great wrong has the republican party
done the Irish people that they should labor
so increasingly for its overthrow! Inc re-
cord of the republican party fails to snow one
hostile act tow ard the Irish people. On the
contrary the republican party has always
been a staunch friend OF lrishmen-
The chief, and perhaps the only, oo)ectioh'
NV fellow -countrymen make against the repuo-
Iican marty. is its connection or sympathy with
the defunct know-nothing party. This IN
formation they received unquestioned from
democratic politicians and the average IRISH
man believes that when he is voting the DEM
ocratic ticket he is also condemning know
nothingism. The recognition of the fugitive
slave law gave to the know-nothing move
ment its principal support. The free SOIL or
what soon after became the republican party,
advocated principles directly antagonisfic 10
those of the know-nothing party. Inc
former sought the Abolition OF the pc
culiar institution; the latter was pledged 10
sustain it. 1t follows then, that there was
no sympathy between those two parties: Let
If he remembered that the democratic States
Of Virginia. Kentucky and Tennessee were
the ONLY States that cast their electoral
votes for the know-nothing Presidential can
didates-Bell and Everett. The democratic
State of Missouri cast 10000 more know
nothing votes than Massachusetts,. The know
nothing candidate, Gardiner OF Massachu-
sets. in 1857 was defeated by the republic
cans. Senator Sumner made grand speeches
against it, and Secretary Seward was hostile
to il Gov. Andrews had hearty hatred
for it. and for all secret organizations. The
know nothing vote in Massachusetts, in 1860,
was a. 900 and the republican vote lO+,OoO.
In 1861 the know-nothing party ceased to
exist, and that year the republican vote was
but g., COO so it is plain that those 24,o0O
know nothing voters did not go into the
ranks of the republican party. Nearly all
the know-nothings who distinguished them
selves, including Governor Gardiner, Joined
the copperhead democracy. The emigrant
landing in this country. twenty-five years
ago. found two parties asking his suffrage.
The free soil or republican party, whose mot
TO was free soil for free working men" and
the democratic party whose war cry was,
ssmore slaves and more slave territory"
Beyond Mason and DixOn's line, the Irish
emigrant found no welcome; it was the free
North that gave him work and wages.
He saw in the Southern Shareholder a tv-
rant more cruel and unrelenting than he him
self had fled from-a man who regarded
human beings as 'chattels"-merchandis
s.for sale or to let" And this democratic
slave-Owner sought to extend his sway over
the fair plains of Kansas and Nebraska, and
build up in this country despOtism more
cruel than Europe ever witnessed. How sig
lificant ought these two short words ''free
soil mean, and to Irishmen especially.
Free Soil and Liberty"-are not these the
two great blessings that Irishmen especially
have been contending fo- for centuries to es-
tablsh in Ireland. Yet, strange to say, a
majority of Irishmen voted directly against
these principles for which the great O'Con-
nell labOred lifetime to establish in Ireland.
The African bOndsmens cause was as dear
to OConneil's heart as the cause of his own
countrymen, and so he told the Southern
slave-owners when they tried to tempt him
with their gold Would the fourishing
Catholic colonies in the South have been in
existence to-day had not therepublicanlparty
triumphed? The republican party is the
party of progress. 1t encourages and fosters
the building of gigantic railroads, thereby
giving employment to thousands of our fell
low countrymen. BY its protective tariff pol
icy it has enabled our Northern manufacture
ing establishments to give to our people
profitable employment 1t is time Irishmen
should use little common sense in dealing
with the politics of their adopted country
and not take everything for granted that may
be told them by democratic orators.
SHAMROCK.