St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-10-13
Ryafne nne, the Frisn.


WASHINGTON, Oct 11.-Mr. Blaine's connec-
ton in early life with the Know Nothing organ
of the state of Maine, and his more recent con-
nection with the Infamous Madigan circular, in
which religious prejudice against the Catholics
was attempted by him 10 be utilized for party
purposes Is in perfect accord with his own gen
eral record, and the sentiments of
New England Republicans. who have
constantly asserted that the irish and
Germans were on lower plane of civilization
than the negroes. This has been their usual
reply to the Democrats from the south, who
complained of the evils of negro suffrage and
negro rule in the southern states.
The case of Patrick Woods an Irish citizen of
Richmond Va, in May, 1870, illustrates perfectly
the terror of Blaines feelings and those of his
present ally, Ben Butler The
Richmond district was then represented in
congress by Chas. K. Porter one Of the horde Of
carpet bag miscreants who infested the south in
those days. Porter in public speech prior to
to his election said that the negroes were sure
rior TO the dirty Irish and Dutch. This led
Woods to make an attack Porter on the
streets of Richmond at q time when he was ab-
sent from congress leave. However
richly merited the punishment for
the vile language may have been Woods
terry, for which he was promptly arrested aad
held for punishment by the Virginia tribunals OF
Justice This. however did not suit the Repub-
lican majority of the house OF Representatives OF
which Blaine, Butler and Bingham were the types.
They took the extraordinary position that an or
binary ARRAY or assault in the city Of Richmond
was violation OF the privileges of the house of
representatives. So Pat Woods was arrested
by virtue of telegram of the sergeant at arms
The writ OF habeas corpus OF the Virginia court
was set at naught, and this Irishman Of muscle
and hot blood was brought TO Washington city
and to the bar of the house, for the speaker
James g. Blaine, OF Maine, TO ''fx him with his
glittering eye. Randall and Kerr in vain tried to
interpose. Woods was ordered of, not TO a trial
by jury, but to a sort OF star chamber inquest
before the house judiciary committee, OF which
Bingham was the ruling spirit. This committee
reported a resolution to imprison Woods for
three months.
The whole proceeding was simply a piece OF
Republican hostility 20 Irish Democrats. There
was nothing to show that Woods
ever intended the slightest disrcspect
to the house or interference with its sessions.
duties or prerogatves. He did not even know
as he testified on oath, that Porter was a member
of the house. Re did know, however, that Por-
ter had loully slandered his race and nationality
and he tried to get even by giving him a good
drubbing. Woods was sent to Jail for three
months under the order Of Mr.. Speaker Blaine.
not once did JAS. G.. Blaine show the slightest
evidence that ne recoiled from the folly and rage
of his party associates for this poor ignorant
frishman. His bias in the chair was against the
prisoner. As q matter OF fact, there is no donbt
that Blaine and his party were really in full sym
pathy with the derogatory and offensive remark
that Porter made about the Dutch and
Irish being inferior to negroes II Blaine had
been opposed to his high handed proceeding he
would have broken it up easily as he did the
effort to interfere with the land grant of the
Little Rock railroad.
II was only following out the old line and tenor
of his political life when as secretary OF state
he allowed McSweeny and other Irishmeu
to rot in a British Jail without trial or even
statement of the offense with which they were
charged. Indeed, if he had protested against
these proceedings of the British government, It
would have been easy matter for that govern
ment to reply to him by referring him to the
case of Patrick Woods. who had been tried and
punished without a jury trial and the
set at naught aud violated by Mr. Blaine and his
/ party friends in the teeth OF the constitution
which they swore to support.
Ben Butler was one Of the most bitter of those
who bounded on this proceeding against the
| Irish citizen Of the United States, aud he knew
| well the whole time be was violating the consti-
tuition TO punish Woods for resentng an insult
TO the Irish race.