The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-03-08
TOO MUCH PATRIOTISM"

Senator Grady made the opening speech.
Ex-senator Ecclesine made a most bitter
speech against England, in the course of
which he said: 1T is the duty of every Irish
man in this country to bring about as speedily
as be can war between the United States
and England. 1t is no child's play. We
should use every agency in our command to
bring about this end. All we have to do is
to put the right men in the right places. Put
them in the cabinet of the President get
them where they are listened to, and where
they have Irish sentiment to back them.
Work has already been done in this direc-
ton, and is still being done. The Canadian
fishery award is one ground for a rupture,
and there are many Others This sentiment
evoked the widest applause of the evening"
Americans are so accustomed to hear the
rantings of impudent nobodies that it re-
quires something startling to arouse them to
the fact that there is dangerous element in
the country that would gladly involve it in
war in order to accomplish its designs.
Here we have public meeting in the great
commercial capital of the nation, made up of
1000 persons, assembled to commemorate the
birth of distinguished Irish patriot, and the
occasion is employed to incite hatred toward
friendly power. No disguise is attempted
the aim of these fellows is to accomplish the
freedom OF Ireland through a war with
England The impudence of such
scheme is only equaled by its infamy.
There are few Americans who do not sim
cerely sympathize with the people of Ire
land. Public sentiment would strongly in
dorse Irish autonomy, were that possible.
America would like to clasp hands with Ire
land as prosperous and happy republic.
But it is not for Americans to take upon
themselves the burden of war to bring about
such desirable contamination. Americans
are nation to themselves Finding an asy
lum here they have left the Fatherlands be-
hind them and set up new homestead.
While our sympathes are strongly with
those left across the seas, it is not ours to
improperly interfere in their behalf. We
tween Bismarck and the German peo-
pie as between England and the people
of Ireland, and great deal stronger rea-
son for sending a feet into Russian
attack England on account of the troubles in
Ireland. If ex-senator hcclesin is right, as
logical sequence America must exercise au-
thority over the internal affairs of Sweden,
of Holland, of Austria, France, Switzerland
and Italy. Each and all of these countries
have sent hundreds and thousands of immi-
grants to the United States who love those
left behind just as sincerely as the Irish love
Ireland. Coming to America to enjoy the
blessings of freedom and peace, some Irish
men would destroy both by involving the
country of their adoption in an expensive
and needless war, in matter with which we
have no right to interfere other than by that
natural and proper sympathy, the force of
which is sometimes stronger even than arms.
The feeling between England and America
is of the most friendly character. By arbi-
tration all the difficulties arising from the
war of the rebellion were honorably settled
and there is nothing TO mar the comfy now
existing between these two great powers.
A war with England would bs a desperate
and unnatural undertaking. 1t would mean
the loss of hundred thousand lives and an
additional war debt of not less than a thou
sand millions. Such an undertaking will
not be lightly assumed. Better far that these
patriots" who are so defiant in absence OF
danger, should appeal to the people of Ire
land to fling away the knife and rifle, to put
down assassination and outrage, and to
appear before the world free from the
blood-stains of innocent men, women and
children murdered by men in whom patriot
ism is buried under fanaticism. The condi-
ton of Ireland is deplorable on account of
foes within as we'll as Of foes without The
conspirators IN Dublin are doing for ireland
France. More damage was done in Paris by
the Communists than by the Prussians
More harm is done Ireland by her native
assassins than by the English. Ireland needs
deiverance. If she would secure it she
must first deserve it. And, in any event.
she can never hope for it through a war be-
tween England and the United States, no
more than the Nihilsts of Russia can expect
us TO proclaim war in their behalf America
offers home to Irishmen who wish to be-
come Americans, but we do not propose to
interfere vi ct arms in the affairs OF
England or in those OF Germany, or Of any
other country. Each country must manage
its own business for ITSELF subject to the
opinion of mankind and the advancing
moral sentiment of the world, and so long
as American rights are respected the United
States will never engage either of them in
war