Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-09-13
The Irish in America.
LouisTille Ccrr:er.J OurnaI,

Colonel "A. X. Mcclure, the cour-
ageous no less than the eminent editor
Of the Philadelphia Times, has Der.
formed a service hardly less important
to the Irish people than to the Demo
cratic party, aud the cause Of square
politics generally, By his exposure OF
the scheme of Edward O'Meagher
condor to sell the Irish Land League
vote of Pennsylvania for money to
Simon Cameron.
Concurrent with the revelation Of
this piece Of ~treaehery, we have here
in Louisville a trivial, though not a
very intelligent or a very amiable dis
pute ' e the partisan obligations and
duties of Irishmen in America. 1t
appears that some Irishmen have had
the audacity to organize a local Re-
publican club, and that certain Demo-
Gratis, who are more stolid and stupid
than liberal, but who naturally want
all the recruits they can get, have en-
gagged in a discussion touching the
antecedents Of the two parties with
respect to citizens of foreign birth
This discussion has illustrated nothing
except the ignorance and s~enselessness
of the parties to it.
We should be poor friends of Ire
land, and no friends at all to the Irish,
If, in considering what is best to be
done for the old country. we considl
eredt the lrishmen's politics in the new.
We do not in the least. On all cues
tons purely Irish, the Irish Republi
can is as true an Irishman to US as the
Irish Democrat. and we hold that the
Democratic party has no claims upon
the Irish vote to-day, because FIVE and
twenty years ago it found it to its
interest to defend the Irish, and in
turn to receive the then powerful
Irish vote against the Know. Nothings.
Parties go by their interests. So must
nationalities aud peoples. The Re-
publican party swallowed up the
Know, Notking party in the North
The Democratic party swallowed up
all parties in the South. Those OF the
leaders of a quarter Of a century ago
who survive may be found scattered
around in both parties. A great Know
Nothing leader Of 1896 was Hon.
Kenneth Rsynor. He is now a Re-
publican, and the very able and ac-
complished Solicitor Of the Treasury.
Another eminent KNOWN othing
leader Of that period is now an emf
nent Democrat. the Hon. Lyman
Trumbull. Both are elderly gentle.
men. Both are men Of principle.
character and honor. The issues,
conditions. associations, a~ntagoDisms
Of that day have passed away. Still,
as a rule, it may be said that the
present ace of Democratic statesmen
are OF Democratic ~antecedents and the
general run Of Republican statesmen
Of know-Nothing a~ntecedents. The
Know Nothing organization only ex.
lsted for a few months. In the North
It became the Republican party. Al
the South it was lost in the war.
With these things the Irishman Of
the present generation has small con
Germ. He ought to look TO two thirgs
merely: Of the two parties, which doe,
he agree with upon affairs American
, OF the two which is the likelier Il
help Ireland; and then he must de
termine-provided there be a conlic
Of interest-which he shall subordi
nate, Irish or American affairs. H,
alone must be the judge. He is
free man, No party has any RICH
TO shut his mouth or tie his hands
twenty-five years ago the Democrat
4, we're his friends, and he paid then
: well for their friendship. The Re
publicans may be better friends to hin
Q now than the Democrats. In tina
event no n a blame him IL h
S leans Republican. We do not thin
the Republicans are; but that is hi
affair, and we have no wish to cosrc
: his inclination or his judgment.
. AT the very best the Irish have
hard lot, and there is no right thinkin
or right feeling American who woul
. make II harder by Involving him f
G needless partisan contention in ths
home which, Democratic or RepublI
: can, offers him, let us hope, cordial
o and sincerely a refuge aud hope.
In the meantime, such bargains an
a attempted transfers as that Z
8 OMeagber Condor in PENNSYLVANIA
e Of which there hardly seems room I
q doubt, will incur the Irishman's scor
Q Of treachery. The betrayer will b
b none the less Odious because he Is nc
$ a 1.-THE proctor or a bailif. NecessI
< rily the Irish are Obliged TO ban
together, and hence they have to !