Daily Republican., 1882-10-24
why ave IrIshmen Democrats ?

DemOcratlC pOnlClADb GTy W oAPl"Ah
it, but with poor success. They seem to
vlte regularly the Democratic ticket,
simply because it is Democratic tick"
ct and that is the end of it. And what
is the strangest part of it is, that the
more they are trampled down by. the
Democratic party, the more they vote
the Democratic ticket. They furnish
| one half at least Of the votes of the
democratic party of Wilmington--in-
deed without them there would not be
Democratic party, and yet whenever
one of them aspires to a higher office
than a policeman or City Councilman,
he is set down upon n ost numerically
by his own pa ty. Is this not true :?
The dead cannot speak, but let the liv
ing tell the tale. What has Squire
O'Neill to say? Col "Tom" Ford, how
was it? Henry G. Turner, walk into
the witness box and give in your testi
mony. Martin Farrell, stand up like
man and tell the story of your defeat.
Even as candidates for the City Coun-
Gil, Peter j. Ford could tale unfold,
and John McCuen could tell story OF
party treachery and treason. Still,
Irishmen must be Democrats Oh yes,
the native Democracy want their votes
to help them to be Sheritfs, Coroners,
Levy Courtmen, Legislators, Congress-
men, Governors, and United States
Senators. March up to your polls Irish.
men and vote for your lords and mas
ters, who pay you with police offices
and seats in the City Council. There
is no prize on the Office lottery above q
City Councilman for an Irlshnan. And
vet these Irishmen arc Democrats, nine
out of ten any how. We have often
heard that the more dogs are whipped
the more they lick their masters feet.
We do not mean to apply this in an
offensive sense to lrishmeH, but it does
indeed seem that the more indignities
are heaped upon Irishmen by the Demo-
cratic party, with the greater tenacity
do they cling to that party.
The strangest part OF it Is, that the
Irishmen, who of all others should be
in favor of protective tariff, vote with
the party in favor Of free trade. How
do we make this appear do you say Z
Why, Just this way. Under English
oppression ard free trade the lrishmt n
were driven into state Of starvation
and were forced to emig to Ameri-
ca, where, under American protection
to American industries, they found
work and wages that gave them liv-
ing and enabled them to send back
across the sea for their wives, children
and friends. Here they are in this land
of protection, where they are prosper.
ing and accumulating property, ana
having become citizens have voice in
making the laws which govern them.
This is all right. These are the great
and exalted privileges which this great
land of liberty and freedom hold cut to
the oppressed Of all nations, except the
Chinaman, who would de rade labor.
But here is the strange part of it again.
These Irishmen cast almost a solid vote
for free trade, the very thing that de.
graded them under British rule. They
90 it blind for the' Democrats and the
Democrats when in power will repeal
the tariff laws, and then what ? Why
then Great Britain will food this cUun-
try with all kinds of manufactured
goods, made by half paid, half starved
labor, and undersell American manu-
factured goods. Is thisuHderstood2 To
make it palmer, American maputAc-
turers will be compelled to pay as poor
wages as are paid in Europe, and the
same causes which forced Irishmen to
leave their native homes to find Q bet
ter home in America, will be re-enacted
here. Still, Irishmen vote the Demo-
cratic ticket and in favor OF free
trade. This pleases nobody better than
their British masters, who starved them
in Ireland before they came to this
country. We would not for the world
abridGe the liberty of an Irishman
He has perfect right 10 vote the Demo
cratic ticket as long as he pleases. But
it is nevertheless queer that people
who have every reason in the world fol
voting against their former task mas
ters in England, vote directly in tBei,
favor by voting for the Democrat,
party and free trade.