The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-09-27

.Vessrs. Editors. Many of my old friends
have asked what course lrishmen in gen
eral and Catholics in particular ought to
take in this political struggle Tor suprema-
lev. or, in other words, why should not
Irishmen support Blaine? My answer to
all is this, "a an lrishman and Catholic:
will say that if Mr.. Blaine ever mani
! tested, before ne became "a candidate for
president, a friendly interest in the Irish
people. | am not aware of it; if he ever
did anything showing anything that even
looked like sympathy for Ireland in her
troubles | never heard of it. On the con
trary, when secretary Of state and CONTROL
Ing, by virtue of that position, the foreign
policy Of the United States, he not only
eyinced an utter lack of sympathy for Ire
land, but deliberately adopted policy SO
subservient and cowardly with respect to
the coercion act and the arrest and impris
Onment of American citizens under it that
all persons were astonished and all Ameri
ord as secretary of state, the trucking posi-
ton which he assumed, and his utter aban-
donment of the rights Of American citizens
in the face of the United States statutes,
and the precedents which had been set for
him by democratic secretaries of state, can
only be explained upon the hypothesis that
he utterly despised the Irish race and was
in thorough accord with the coercive and
unjust measures Of the British government,
or that he had some pet measures which at
the time he desired to promote and was
therefore willing to make all other things
subservient 70 them. He was at the time
using all his power as secretary of state to
retard the building Of the Panama canal.
This was, think, done under the dictation
of the overland railroad companies. And
believe that Mr.. Blaine took, while score
tary of state, the extraordinary position
which he did with respect to the imprison-
ment of American citizens in English jails
under the coercion act in order that he
might not be complicated in his antagonism
to the Panama canal and be able to better
serve the railroad companies. The official
correspondence of Mr., Blaine while score
tary of state furnishes, think, conclusive
evidence for the opinion have expressed,
In addition 10 this, Mr. Blaine during a
long political career in Maine has done all
he could through the columns of his home
organ, the Kennebec Journal, and in other
ways TO excite prejudice against foreign
ers, and especially against Catholics. The
Madigan letter, or circular, the yilest po-
litical document which has ever been pro
mulgated, and in which an attempt was
made to arouse religious feelings in po-
litical campaign, is traced directly to him.
Indeed the evidence is so indubitable that
neither he nor his friends now deny that
he was responsible for il and circulated
1t from his house In view of this record
| cannot see how any Irish American en-
tertaining any respect for himself can sup
port Mr. Blaine; and regard Mr. Blaine's
bid ut the present time for Irish American,
and especially Catholic votes, as peculiarly
audacious, and his expectations of support
from Irish Americans as only based upon
the very fallacious idea which the journals
that now support him have heretofore so
often expressed; that they are too ignorant
to read newspapers and understand the true
situation of affairs. JAMES COLLINS.
Seneca, H., Sept 18th.