National Republican., 1884-08-23
"voTE AS you PLEASE"
Congressman John T.. Finerty's Ring
Ing Address TO His CoUntrymen
Calling on Them 20 Declare Their
Political Freedom.


Irish Caisen.
An awful howl has gone up from n
certain bigotcd section of the democratic
party because some prominent Irish
American citizens in Chicago, New York,
Buffalo, Cleveland Peoria. Milwaukee,
Dubuque, Rock Island. and othcr cities
throughout the union have declared their
preference for tho presidential nominees
on the republican ticket, the howl is
raised simply because these gentlemen
are OF Irish birth or descent. 1t appears
that an Anglo o-Amcrican, n German
American, or any other kind of American,
who is not also Irish, may change his
opinion on political questions whenever
ho chooses without loss of caste, but for
an lrishmun to do it is pronounced
"horesy" by tho great political doctors
who think they own him body and soul.
This kind of ridiculous assumption on
the part of tho doctors aforesaid would bo
only laughable wore they not aided and
cmboldoued in their concoit by fairly
large clement of tho Irish American
people themselves, who Join In tho cry
against thoir independent fellow country
men and seek to brand them with rank
apostaoy. What, may we ask, has given
u particular party in America the implied
right to look upon Irish voters rs their
particular proporty2 Did the fathers of
the existing generation ofIrish-Ainoricans
make compact with tho party in ques
tion, plcdging to II tho support of their
sons forever md ever, no matter what
errors it might commit, no matter what
Objectionable candidate it might force
upon them? Wo havo never heard Of
such compact, and, if it were made the
self-respoct Of tho existing race would
rise in rovolt against it.
Tho democratic party has been and is
held up to the adoration OF Irishmen be-
cause 1t is alleged to bc "thc friend of tho
foreigner" By implication, the republic
can party would seem to be indicated as
tho enemy of the foreigner. But is this
true? What is the philosophy of placing
any foroign-born element of the body
polite in this country in tho position of
declaring that fully one -halfof the Ameri-
can people are its implacable enemies.
1t is true there was n nativist or know
nothing party in this country years ago.
1t was base and stupid party, and it
died of its own venom. The democratic
politicians were wise enough to see that
1T could not live, and their platforms
were emphatic in its condemnation. Yet
those lovers Of freedom, such as Gov.
Wise, of Virginia, and Stephens. of
Georgia, were staunch defenders of
human slavery. They rested their hopes
upon 1t as CONVERSIONS" for an indie
pendent confederacy.
After the dissolution otthe nativist party
many of the know-nothings, who had
slave-holding procivities, Joined the
seceders in the dreadful effort to over
thrnw thu uoyarnmant nf tho n Inn hv
armed rebellion. Nothing is ever said
by tho democratic doctors about those
worthless.
Influenced bya feeling Of gratitude and
blinded by specious representation. quito
large contingent of Irish Americans was
led to sympathize with the (copperhead
and confederate dom ocratic) promoters of
the civil war. Their cupidity was ap-
pealed to and their anger was excited to
some extent against the negro race. then
in servitude. They were told by demo-
cratic orators that slavery was justified
by the Bible, and that it would be "un-
CONSTITUTIONAL to abolish it. The very
name of abolitionist was made hateful
to Irish ears by these same democratic
orators, although the abolitionists counted
such friends of Irish liberty as the late
Wendell Phillips. Thus was presented to
tho Amoricau Peopio tho cAtfaofuihaIy
spectacle of race which had struggled
long and manfully for freedom at home
voting for and with the men who wished
to maintain slaverY in America
There Is no use In denying the deplor-
able fact that a largo body of Irish voters,
under democratic leadership. were op-
posed to negro emancipation. Very many
true and noble Irishmen disting guishn I'D
themselves in tho other direction. but
they found little or no support. When
the war came, finally, the eyes of the Irish
people resided in the north were opened
wide, for the first time, to the iniquity of
the southern democratic leaders. Tho
cloven ho0f was revealed Poor John
Mitchell, lured by an inexplicable and in
consistent fanaticism, unfortunately
flung his influence on the side of the re.
bellion. But Thomas Francis
Meagher, Col. James A. Mulligan,
James Shields, and many other men,
worthy tho spirit and fame of Ireland,
mustered on the side of union aud liberty.
Their valor, and that Of their gallant fol-
lowers, redeemed the Irish name in the
eyes of Americans and of freemen of all
landss They poured out their blood in
defense of the old flag and for the liberia
tion Of the slaves, and yet there were men,
who claimed to be patriotic aud humane,
who cursed Thomas Francis Meagher
because he had dared to appeal to the
manhood and the dignity of tho Irish race
and to their love of human freedom.
1t wns in vain that he said he was
democrat, but not the kind Of democrat
that believed in buying aud selling hu-
men beings. 1t was in vain that he re-
ferred to the example of O'Connell. who
was vehement abolitionist. as the whole
world knew. He Immediately lost caste
with the democratic doctors and power
with such of his own people as were in
fuenced by their mischievous misrepre-
sentations, but everything that was
worth respecting in tho Irish-American
people remembered Fair Oaks, Malvern
Hill, and Antetam, and blessed the heroes
that had shed such glorious luster on the
twin battle flags of America and Ireland.
But tho politicians did not want
Meagher's style of democrat. lie
wouldn't wear the party collar. Although
the most eloquent man of his race since
Grattan ceased to delight the world, no.
body in New York, on the democratic
side at least, thought of him for congress-.
Fernando Wood might go there, Brooks
might go-any other narrow politician,
half or whole stained with treason to the
republic, might 70 there-but there was
nv AouAh Aoi ukS abhSls nv idptv h5
body knows. this most brilliant and gall
liant gentlemen died while acting gov
ernor of Montana, and oven that favor
did not come from democratic hands.
We had hoped that this species of po-
litical Ostracisn was dead, but it is not.
Renegade" "apostate," "heretic," "hire-
ling" are the mildcst epithets hurled by
tho democratic press at such Irishmen as
have the sterling manhood to assert tho
courage of their convictions; and, shame
Of all shames, some Of their own country
men, bounded by the narrow horizon of
their invinciblo prejudice, join in this
wol6sh cry against them. But all that
kind of persecution will not prevent
others from telling the democratic bosses
to 20 to che dovil II necessary.
1t seems TO us that nowadays to be
Straight democrat" means to bo mere
human machine. There must bo no kick