Morris tribune., 1884-08-13
THE IRISH REVOLT.

the nominees, anu the coliseiuioi ''"
journed.
THE IRISH REVOLT.
Bosses and Politicians to the Rear
The People TO the Front.
Mr.. p. Il. Barry, an Irish-Amerlcan
who was Democratic member OF the
Illinois Legislature a few years ago,
has returned home from an extensive
tour through the Eastern States. MI.
Barry is a journalist of many years
standing, and careful observer OF men
and things. His statements are there
fore entitled to confidence. He says
that the bolt against Cleveland among
the Democratic workingmen and Irish
Americans in the East has assumed
very large proportions. The New
York Governor has on account OF 1t no
possible chance of carrying his own
State. In Buffalo, Cleveland's own
city. four-fifths of the Irish-Amerlcans
will vote for Blaine. In Syracuse,
Troy, Rochester, Utica and Albany
Cleveland is very unpopular. Inc In
dependent Republican vote will be in
significant. Mr.. Blaine will receive
more Democratic votes in New York
City alone than there are independent
Republican voters in the Eastern States.
In Connecticut and Massachusetts the
old bosses of the party are trying 10
whip the Irish-Americans into line, but
without avail. The cry is: "The boss
es and politicians to the rear-the peo-
pie to the 'front.'"
"The fact is" says Mr.. Barry, I'VE
look upon this matter wholly from an
American standpoint. There is no
class of population who feel more in
tensely American than do our Irish
American people. We came here to
STAY: we have our homes and families
here: we have ever been willing and
ready to defend the Republic when
threatened with danger; we participate
in her triumphs, and we are determin-
ed to take our proper place In Ameri-
can history. The question of Ireland
in America is entirely an incidental
one. The progress and greatness OF the
American Republic and the consequent
growth and Importance of the Irish ell
ement in it, who will ever cherish the
hope of seeing the land from which
they sprang in the hands Of its own
native laws, have, in so far as they
tend, a bearing upon the Irish question.
We look upon American questions
from an American standpoint, and we
| cannot help suspecting the motives
which to-day actuate England in sup
| porting the Democratic party-de-
nouncing Blaine and advocating Cleve-
land.
| 1.-THE Democratic newspapers and the
offiee-holders of that patty are trying
| to raise race issue and a religious is
| sue in this campaign. Since the day
| that Carter Harrison introduced those
| issues in the Democratic Convention
here in Chicago they have been taken
up all over the country by Democratic
papers and orators, who seem determln-
ed to conduct the campaign on -
| horizontal issues of this kind instead OF
appealing to the intelligence and can
dor of the whole people.
| THE KNOW-NOTHING ISSUE.
"In 1856 there were three Presidential
| tickets in the field-the Democratic,
| 'KnoW-NOthing,' and Republican. In
! that year the State of Maryland
cast AZ ,46O votes for the Known 9th
! ing candidate and elected Know
| Nothing Governor. The same year
the State of Maine cast 1895 votes for
the KNOWN othing' candidate, SO, OSC
Democratic, and 81, 397 for the Repub-
lican. James G.. Blaine was then only
two years a resident of Maine, ana was
delegate to the Republican Conven:
ton Of that year. Does this look as il
he was rank Known Nothing" in the
State of MaineT Tennessee that veal
cast over $4,000 votes for the Know.
| fiolJof KanjIokU OVpr 81 On
votes. Georgia over 1905, and SO or
with all the Southern States; while
Vermont cast but 545 votes for the
KNOWN othing' ticket, Michigan only
1900, New Hampshire only 422, ano
Massachusetts only $4,000 out Of to-
tai vote Of 10000.
THE DEMoCRACY's RECORD.
| 1--WE are asked, What has the Repub
lican party ever done for Irlshmenl
Well, what does the Republican party
owe Irishmen? How many irlshmen
ever supported that party? The Re
Victories without the aid of Irish vot
ers. who were mainly found fighting
the battles of the Democratic party
The Republican party since 1t came
into power in 1860, has not, that we
know of, enacted any laws against the
interests of the Irish-Americans. On
the contrary, Irish-Americans in com.
mon with all other citizens have taken
advantage of the benefits of the Home
stead act, and other measures passed
by our National Legislature in the last
twenty-five years. The Republican
party, with all its faults has never Of.
| fered a gratuitous insult to the Irish
American population Of this country
as was given and applauded in the late
National Democratic Convention in
Chicago.
sThe fact is, the Democratic party
has always regarded the Irish element
as something to be relied upon, some:
thing not to be taken into account, ex.
cept in the distribution of a few loca!
offices and petit jobs. Whenever il
happened that an Irish-Amerlcan was
put upon the Democratic ticket fol
anything higher than a local or county
Office he has been generally slaughter
ed by the men who are now shouting
for Grover Cleveland. In the State
where I was once citizen, and where
fully one-half the Democratic vote Is
Irish and Irish descent, an lrishman'S
son was nominated for Governor few
years ago and, in obedience to the fou
calumnies and beastly caricatures Of
Harper's Weekly, the official organ Of
the Democratic managers, $4,000 Dem,
ocrats slaughtered him at the polls. AS
to his fitness and capacity there was nc
question, but, then, he was an Irish
mans son and he possessed the religion
of Columbus. A few years later it sc
happened that one of New York City's
leading merchants, who was a native
born Irishman, was nominated by the
Democracy of that city for Mayor
There was no question as to fitness
but the present Democratic organs
Harper's Weekly, the New York Times
Herald, and Puck opened their batter.
les, sparing not the most sacred sub.
| jects, abusing the names of the dead
and forging libels upon the living; and
straight to the pools rushed an army Of
Democratic bigots to slaughter theil
candidate for Mayor because he was an
Irishman by birth and worshiped at the
Catholic shrine; and as, a result ran
nearly 10000 votes behind General
Hancock in the City of New York and
got elected only by $500 majority. RThe