The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-08-23
IRISH AMERICANS.
Signs OF a Revolt in the Ranks of the
Democracy.
Saturdays Boston Herald contains the fol
lowing Por tland DESPATCH:

Saturdays Boston Herald contains the fol-
lowing Por tland despatch:
In recent letter Your correspondent referred
to the lrish-Republican movement i'll this State
as consisting principally of Mr.. w. III. Looney,
young lawyer here. That gentleman thinks
this is not a fair statement and, in recent in
tervlew with your correspondent, said: "While
it is true that the Irish Americans of Maine,
as in other States, have usually allied them
selves with the Democratic party, there are
now, and have been for several years, obvious
signs Of revolt. Intelligent Irish Americans
are beginning to see that it is not only suicidal
but antagonistic to the fundamental prin-
ciples of this Government for men of any race
or religion to mass themselves in compact
body in any organization" Mr., Looney said
that last spring and fall in this city large
number of IRISH Americans voted the Repub-
lican ticket. Ward l, which had gone Demo-
cratic the year before, went Republican
chiefly by the accession of Irish votes. The
same is true OF ward 4, whete over 60 young
Irish Americans voted straight Republican
ticket. Gen. Anderson said in Fryeburg the
other night that they were bought for So,
which was grossly untrue. They were hon
orable and high minded men, and this fall
would resent this vile SANDER upon them by
voting against Gen. Anderson. Mr.. Looney
said he knew of number of young Irish
Americans in Portland who would vote against
the Fusonists. From reliable information he
had good reason for believing that the move
ment was strong in Bangor, Lewiston, Bidde-
ford and other cities in the State He asked.
"How could Irish Catholics vote for man
like Gen. Plaisted, who, when he ran for Con-
gress against Mr.. Madigan in 1875, distributed
anti-Catholic circulars throughout the district,
bitterly assailing him on account of his reli-
gious principles" He felt sure that when the
Knownothing record of Gen. Plaisted was
known very few Irish Catholics would vote
for him. Mr. Looney said that there may
have been narrow, bigoted men in the Republic
can party, but they had about all left it and
pitched their tents in the Greenback camp,
The statement so often made that Irishmen
were indebted to the Democratic party was not
true. He believed that patriotic Irish
men had nothing in common with
that old pro-slavery Democracy Every
lrishman was ipso .facto an abo-
litionist. To the Republican party the Irish
men was much indebted. 1t was the Repub-
lican party which passed the homestead act,
which made expatriaton laws, and gave us the
protection laws. He could not understand whv
aboring men could support party like the
Democratic party, which pledges itself to free
trade. Free trade means competition with the
slave labor of England. Mr. Looney said in
conclusion, j that Judge Morrison, Gen.
O'Bierne and Capt. O'Farrell were to stump
the state in the interest of the Republican
party. He believed that Irish Americans
would advance their own interests more and
benefit The country by being independent of
either party.