The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-07-29
THE IRISH AND THE BoURBoNs.
A Stirring Appeal for Political Emancipation
for Irish Voters.

Stirring Appeal for Political Emancipation
for Irish Voters.
John Finerty's Chicago Citizen.
1t is pity that the English vocabulary limits
the expressive word Superstition" to religion
alone There is form of superstition, if we
may use the term, more revolving than that
which is spiritual-the superstition of party pol
ltics. Call party by what name you may, Whig
or Tory, Republican or Democrat, the principle
is its soul, and lacking that, it is but ashes.
The odious Nativist party catered to Know
nothingism thereby blaspheming against polit-
ical common sense and the whole theory of
American government; but public opinion in
America has made a wonderful march in the
right direction since that dark and disgraceful
epoch. And the worst outrages against foreign
ers and Catholics were perpetrated in the Dem
ocratic South. Who forgets Louisville and Bal
timore and New Orleans, any more than Phil
adelphia, Boston, and Ellsworth But it will
be argued, the men who committed the outrages
were not Democrats. Well, what of it2 They
are Democrats now And prominent candidate
for the presidency on the Democratic side, dur
ing the Chicago convention. was fierce Know
nothing in his youth. But he has repented and
the people have forgiven him heartily. because
they believe his compunction to be sincere.
DE assured L0ab Ll0 SURVIVORS OF the 1andtlcal
bands that made the streets of Louisville Balt-
more and New Orleans run red with Irish blood
thirty years ago, now vote the straight Demo
cratic ticket in those cities. And we have no
doubt that many of the survivors of the North
ern mobs who made life burden to foreigners
in the big towns vote the straight Republican
ticket Many of them, however, seem to be
coming over to the side of Wsconsin's little
Bragg-quite congenial company
Has this been done in the matter of a recent
political nomination for the highest Office in the
gift of the American people9 Was there graft
tude in the hearts of those Democratic delegates,
South and North who cheered to the echo the
venomous words of that Wisconsin muskrat, e.
S. Bragg when he said: ''We love him lGrover
Cleveland best for the enemies he has NADER
Was there gratitude in the hearts of the men
who said, in bitterness and contempt, to the ele
ment that has made Democracy possible for the
last five and twenty years, north of the Ohio, at
least: "Let them CO. thus echoing the rufian
bigotry of Curtis, Mast and the ribald editors of
the infamous Puck2
1t may be as we'll to speak boldly out in this mat
ter, and declare that, henceforth, no party shall
dare to presume that it owns what is called
the Irish vote in this country. 1t is, perhaps
queer that there must be an Irish vote, in the
distinctive sense, although it is ever cast in pure
ly American interests. as it should be. But the
party bosses, on both sides must get over the in
sulting idea that they ''ownn it Who "ownsn
the German votes-who the Scandinavian
Nobody. Again and again have these elements
their manhood and independence on American
politicalT Questions Consequently, they have
ever been held in wholesome respect by the poll
ticians. They have been everywhere recognized
as power and by all parties A leader among
them-a German .'rebel, in fact-has been a
Cabinet officer. Would that have occurred if
the Republican bosses could have said, ttOh
hang the Germans. There is no necessity to
recognize them. They'll vote the straight
ticket anyhowln Not much
Now the manhood of whole race il involved
in this business. There is no use in denying the
fact that the friends of the Democratic nomi-
nee including little Bragg Of Wisconsin, spat upon
and spurned the Irish American voters of this
country. Mr. Cleveland himself, if he has po-
litical sense, cannot approve their conduct, be-
cause, if he looses the great State of New York,
he is doomed man. Numbers may desire not
to punish him because of the crimes Of his big
oted supporters against decent Irish-Ameriean
sentiment but he will also have to face the
strong and stern indictment of the laboring
classes, on whom his vetoes fell like successive
strokes of lightning.
The situation is not happy one. But let not
the Republicans grow conceited and imagine
they have bagged the Irish vote" Not at all
The Irish Vote will be cast independently to
punish insolence, ingratitude and bigotry, and to
teach Democratic mutton-h head leaders a lesson
in politeness and consideration that they very
sadly need.
Next time it may be the Republicans turn to
feel its power. Meanwhile we will hear what
Grover Cleveland has to say about the whole
business when he issues his letter Of accept
ance.
In any case thank God for Irish American
manhood that refuses to be scoffed at and
scourged by any set of men under the sunl
-s--