The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-25
IRISH WIVES.
Erins Women take up the
cudgel.
Mrs. Mcnamara Showes that she can
Express her Opinions.
To tie Editor OF the N. Y. Evening Express

10 tie Editor OF the n. Y. Evening Express:
A Mr.. Patrick j. Smyth-Home Ruler,
member of parliament from Tpperary-in
answer to an Invitation from the Dublin
Land League to be present at one of their
meetings. wrote in reply taking good care
not to come and say it face to face. like q
man who is sound in his argumentI: The
policy of the Land League is stupid and
irrational. 1t has sacrificed just cause
and dishonored the country. When
see Irish women. forgetful of the modes
ty becoming their sex. turning stump
orators, hang my head for
shame as an 1riehman." With the senti-
ment of the last line fancy the intelligent
public will fully agree. He ought to hang
his head IN shame, drop the brogue of his
b" appetite for the rest of his natural
life, or promulgate a more ration
al' and efficacious policy for the
amelioration of Ireland's increasing
woes, whereby she may legislate herself
out of the degradation which has been
trailing like a serpent over her history for
centuries. The daughters of ireland have
waited. and waited with patience and forti-
tude, for her SONS to lift her up to the
Independent and high standard reached by
the daughters of other nations; but they
have waited in vain, She feels that her
God given intellect and her healthy heroic
blood have been stunted and tanned by
ages of oppression, her aspirations chained
by the unending discoursgemsnts of
poverty: the heart of motherhood has
shrunk by the perpetual toll Of her condi-
ton, until ambition and all the wider at
tributes lie dormant. and only the great
love of her heart throbs it's sacred song to
hnN of nd hu9 -
babes she has borne and nursed into heroes
with her undying love of country and long
ing for national dignity those bright
nurselings of her heart. when they
grew to manhood and developed her
souls greatness in their deeds and
efforts to make their motheriand a nation
among nations, were those sons not flung
under that accursed English iudicature.
and the life crushed ont of them. that the
dogs might lap up their heroic blood. or
cast into living graves antil manhood,
power aud ambition had perpetuated
their names In history everywhere. but
they were forced to build Their
greatness in foreign lands, while their
native land stood shiveripg and starving
like a csst-out slave, bound hand and
foot-helpless Once more it is braced
with courage to rattle its chains. The
clank is heard like an alarm bell, and the
gaze of the world is attracted as it never
was attracted before. Ireland has been
an almost passive mendicant, owing to Der
unfortunate proximity to the foe. so long,
that the outer world has come to lock upon
her as sort of professional in that line.
And right here Is where the Irishwomau
has q duty to perform towards herself
and her country, and show her p uck
and her mental capacity to stand on
an equality with her foreign sisters
10 the hour of her eountry's need She
has waited long enough to haze place
made for her. Let her come to The
front and make it for herself. The digni-
ty and m0desty of womanhood are not
sullied by self acton. A brave wife in the
small trials OF domestic life is an inspiration
to man. lis she who tDoulds his child
ren's character. lis she who il. not un
frequently, the soul-s:amiua of bis OVID
progress in life. For this part she need
not have first swallowed classic dictionary
or devote more than her spare time to culs
tivating her mind. A woman can cult
vate her natural common sense Just as
well when she is busy about her house
work as when she is gossiping with her
neigh bors, and there is just as much room
for the improvements OF the women, who
has had all the advantages of wealth and
education as IN the humble girl who
washes the first woman's dishes. Tha
more room we make for ourselves in
the elevating procees. the more room
We see that needs furnishing before
Us, This Tipperary Smyth. who bushes
because Irish women think it is time to
show that they have spunk and brains,
don't seem to blush for the fact that he
has DOT opened field for bis country
women to practice self support in, when
they aud their little ones gre beTeft of
husband and father. Let him apd his
kind take this to keart and blush for that
Last summer bright little Irish woman
with FIVE chiIdred) came to me for wash
| ing. She was pale and weary from day
toll and night watching with dying bus
band. my sister is staying with him
while | run out to see if l can get work.
We've not been able to lay by anything,
| count Of the small wages and being sick
SO much, an the doctors bills an the like
O. that; an I'd like to get few good
| families to wash regular for. and it's the
only way | can support the poor little
t. gan ray the rint."
| l. that au exceptional case? Alas notl
Perhaps MIR. Smyth thinks that is en-
| Irish woman's vocationi Shame to him
| call upon Irish women to come forward
and Go their country honor, that nations
| may honor them ia great things even as
| they have hoDored them in their struggles
| with oppression ard adversely
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