National Republican., 1884-02-22


hnds scope for its exercise in their attach
ment to party in America. This ultra-loyalty
TO party; this undoviating, unthinking, un-
questioning course, is and has been the mill
stone around the Irish neck in American
politics. which makes their 100000 votes as
powerless in molding American public policy
as II the aforesaid votes were annually cast
into the gutter. 1t must be confessed that for
their guidance there is periodically prepared
document called a democratic platform,
which is presumed TO represent their views,
and thus 1t may be said that they vote IN
favor of certain principals but can the care
full observer for moment doubt that IL the
same democratic party presented an entirely
different PLATFORM that tho Irish vote would
not as solidly and as loyalty support
it2 In the early part of last year conven-
tion of representative Irishmen met in Pbila-
dolpha. They were body of fine looking
and highly intelligent men. They passed a
series of resolutions, the last and best of which
was one leveed at the manufacturers of
England. They resolved not to buy any
English goods, and requested their American
fellow-ctizens not to buy any, because, as
Englands manufacturing is the mainstay OF
English power, o decline in the demand
would be blow at the stomach of their
enemy! Sensible and patriotic Irishmen.
But wait-wait until the excitement of the
political convention of 1884. The democratic
aud what will we see? We shall SEQ the
very same people-the Irish people-yea,
the very orators of the Irish convention,
shouting themselves hoarse over free trade
platform, supporting policy calculated to
glorify and fatten England, aud to ruin and
destroy the labor interest of the American
republic. They may be inconsistent; they
may be unpatriotc and untrue to principle,
but they will be loyal TO the venerable god Of
political party.
Meanwhile the world moves, America pro-
crosses, and England plumbers. The crow
bar brigade levels the Irish cabin and tn o
emgrant ship swells the Irish vote in
America. The Hibernian orator deafens th o
American ear with tho story of English
cruelty, and the Irish-American convention
fires its vehement strings OF resolutions 1t
the British empire.
Right here and now is presented to the
Irish the grandest opportunity of century
to strike blow at England. The English
forces are already in the field-the Golden
club with its army of professors, its noun
tains Of free trade literature, and its abund-
ance of corruption fund, in alliance with the
freo-trade faction in American politics.
British influence is the soul of the free-trade
policy in tho United States. Animated by
the malignity of the weaker rival. IL seeks to
secure and conquer in this republic, by fiat
terry, intrigue, and corruption, what 1t failed
to achieve by war-the destruction Of Ameri-
can industry, the control of American trade.
The Irish are a laboring people, shouldering
more than their share of the toll that belongs
to manufacture. American industry is their
bread and butter. Shall England take it
from their mouths? Let two million voters
answer.
What q pressing necessity demands the
concentration of Irish-American power
against Englands present crusade in this
inf nd hrip ia
the olive branch of peace. We feast, wine,
and dine them and detail our army and navy
officers to play the part of body servants, the
bastard brood Of her lords are peacefully in
vading our prairies aud forests, establishing
their feudal system upon the free soil OF
America. her money kings are covering the
reality in our cities with their deeds and
mortgages, one of our great political parties
has become as the hired man to advance and
adopt her damaging and damnable free
trade heresy, and the two million Irish
voters, the chattel property of that
party, are assumed to be in readi-
ness to advance the interest and power
of England in that direction. No wonder that
Ireland is manacled, buck -shotted, plundered,
and despised. If the rish-Americans only
had the moral courage to renounce their idol
airy to party, or even with n decent attach
ment to party, dared to put forth the power
that is in them, and proclaim to America and
to all its politicians that in this country Eng
land has gone the length of her rope; If they
would meet her land sharks by demanding
the enactment Of laws to prevent their be-
coming possessed of large tracts of American
lands; If they would rise in O solid mass
against her free-trade infamy, and consign to
inglorious defeat the party that proposed it;
IL they should meet her every interest in
this country with an enlightened and defiant
opposition, oppose her progress at every STEP
and defeat her policies in every move, it
would be rendering patriotic service to
America and the dawn Of better day foI
Ireland. Is it reasonable to hope for such a
consummation? l have faith to believe that
it is Intelligent Irishmen have taken to
thinking, and in the political fight of 1884
they will make themselves heard on the
question of free trade. make this predic-
ton, not merely as the wish which IL
father to the thought, but as the result o
careful inquiry and observation. that intelli'
gent Irish Americanism will make it impos.
sible in 1884 for any candidate for president
to carry single northern state on free
trade platform. JOHN +. GRACE.