Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-08-03
BLAINE AND THE IRISH VOTE.
Efforts of the Republicans to Capture
1t for the Ticket.


Congressman McAdoo, of New Jersey,
says a Long Branch special of July % to
the Philadelphia Times, represents a con-
stituency that is made up largely of citi-
zens of Irish birth or Irish descent. He
himself was born in Ireland. He is an
active member of the Irish National
League and was commended by the Irish
papers for his attitude in Congress toward
the Morrison bill.
1.-The Blaine managers are making
strong effort to obtain the Irish VOTE" he
said to-day, as he sat taking the sea air
on the porch of the Atlantic Hotel. "From
what learned in Washington l know that
they will make strong endeavor and that
that will be indeed one of their settled
lines of procedure. They will establish
a propaganda and send missionaries
throughout the country to preach Blaine
to the Irish people,"
s'What sort of men will the missionaries
be?"
professional saviors OF Ireland, for the
most part. Their reward will be good
salaries and good offices if Blaine should
be elected. I do not believe, however,
that they will be very successful. When
Blaine was first nominated very many
Irish had for him a vague sort of admira-
ton. His aggressiveness and dash pleased
the Celtic temperament. 1t was supposed
that he was an enemy Of England and a
staunch defender of American citizens
of those by adoption as well as of those
by birth. | say supposed, because to me,
looking at the matter from the point of
view adopted by those whose fancy was
caught by these ideas, there is nothing on
which to base them. Many Irishmen then
resolved that they would vote for Blaine.
Some of the leading Democrats in my own
district were caught and told me that
while they would vote for me they would
also vote for the Republican candidate for
President. AS time wears on, however,
that feeling is gradually dying out.
Blaine's staunchest friends among the
Irish now are confined almost altogether
to Irish extremists. Even to them his
avoidance in his letter of acceptance of
the matter ON which they set most store
has been like wet blanket. l believe
that finally few of them will vote for him.
The great majority of conservative Irish
men-that is to say, of men who while
they would sacrifice their lives for their
country nevertheless do not countenance
murder-haye already become convinced
of Mr.. Blaine's insincerity. His letter of
acceptance has shown them that he was
simply juggling with the Irish people.
The people who figure most cOnspicuOusly
as Irish leaders of Irish Blaine battaliOns
are men who have for years held snug po-
litical positions in consideration of their
always voting and working for the Re-
publican machine ticket. Since the Blaine
people have set out to capture the Irish
vote, if possible, the Cleveland managers
are bound to do and will do all that they
can to prevent them. 1t will be proved
that he has shown a Difference to the
wishes of England; that he moved not an
inch to help the Irish suspects that he
never raised his voice or his hand In aid
OF Ireland; that be was pronounced adj
vocate of Know Nothingism, and that the
people who are now angling to catch the
irish vote were yesterday the bitterest
enemies of the Irish. 1 have not the least
doubt that the Irish-American citizens
will vote for Cleveland and Hendricks by
an overwhelming majority"