Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-08-03
aailg gress md Aakptalaa
The IRISH DEMOCRAT.

why Does he stand as q Constant Con-
trzdtction OF HimseIf7 ohm Bren-
mans Explanation.
John Brennan, OF Sioux City, broshe,
of Pat and Mike Brennan, of Yankton,
contributes the following to the New
York Press:
To the presen. generation OF Ameri.
Cans it is Il never oeasing aource OF won
der Why 1rishmen were democrats; why
u people who were clamorous for liberty
have surrendered themselves to the party
OF slavery; why a party VINO depended
On the labor of their hands for bread
should be willing to cast their lot with g
party whose endeavor has ever been to
subject labor to the hardest toll and to
lash it on the back for pay; why q people
who hated the name of Eogisnd should
forever act Bs the garrison OF England ID
America, and last and most mysterious
of all, why they shonld forever place
themselves IN hostile attitude toward the
wealth and power, the conscience and in
tellIgence of the northern people, IN pup
port OF and in sy mpathy with the south
ern people and the English nation, To
whom they were ander no sort OF obi
CATION.
lt was not the want OF patriotism.
Their bItterest enemies nsve %impugned
their devotion to American nationality.
They were among the first to strike q
desperate blow for American independ-
ence. In the continental congress- they
were we'll represented, and they filed
whole regiments in the continental army,
They were in she body guard of Wash
lngton. In the war OF 1912 the son of
an irish emigrans, Andrew jackson,
gave the death blow TO the English
eueEny. James Shields, 8 Dative Irish
man, bore q distinguished part in the
wal with Mexico. La thu rebellion the
Irish bore their part ~conspiouously and
brayely. Never On earth, either Of
Limerick or Cremons. at Fohteuay or
Waterloo did Irishmen show such des-
perate palor as in the disastrous assault
at Marye's Heights during the battle OF
fredericksburg. Their heroes names
sheir Sheridan and Shields, their
MeRgher and Mulligan, their Coroorsn,
Burkes dennis and Tom) shine ont like
beacon lights along the line of American
victories. It will not do to doubt their
patriotism.
Then why should they be democrsss ?
Why have the Irish been democrats?
They first came TO this country in vast
numbers-say in hundreds of thousands
lin 1846-7. The cup of human misery
wish them was overlooking; their very
forms-yes, their very souls, were
Bonded under the accumulated oppres-
sion OF centuries. Deprived OF educa-
tion, stripped of all material wealth,
robbed OF abe skill and cunning that ma.
tvs industries confer on human bands,
they came TO this republic at o disad-
vantage in the battle OF life with people
born under circumstances more benign.
They received the rudiments OF their
political sraining in New York city at
the hands of o conscienceiesB aud selfish
set of pigmy politicians, who filleG their
minds With the concentrated lie of petty
politics and the delusioos of history.
Each pupil thus educated became in
turn the teacher of his kind, until at
last no other reason was assigned than
this: That the voter was IN Irishmen.
and he was D democrat because he was
an freshman.
A baseless and cruel delosion subse-
.quently took possession OF the Irish.
American mind. the shameless falsehood
that The republican party was identical
with the know nothing party. The
truth is that when know nottingham
houfished there vas no republican party
w02th counting; and when republicanism
catae into power know nottingham
vanished. L. - hope forever. Every
man with any prsssasion to honesty and
fairness knows that Whatever be che
faults of republican Sun, ITS principles
and purposes are utterly incompatible
with the object OF know n%othinRism
But certain self.atyled republican papers
like the Times, the Post and Harper't
Weekly gave color to she assertion that
the republican party was u%nfriendly te
the Irish, and SO p~erpetaated the de-
lusions of history.
But conditions have changed; o bright
er day has dawned; the Irish-Amerieal
people, educated. prosperous and power
fei, are opening their eyes; and in tht
light of q stronger and clearer intelli'
gence tine humbugs OF history pass away
ke tn mlsts of the morning. Tbs
Packs aud the Hsrpers, The Times ane
the Post have g%raeiouslY flung ASIDE
their p~retensions to re~publicanism ant
have taken their places with the ayowet
enemies OF the Irish In America. Their,
10 mutual friendship between Scotland
Yard and the New York postofice. Tn,
British tories make love'and treaties wit
the democratic powers on the banks O
the Potomac. The Golden club and th
democratic party in their warfare upol
American industry are inseparable o
Juno's swans. The Irish American j
still privileged 30 vote the demoorati
ticket il his stomach will bear it,, bu
Whatever reason may have existed VIII,
Irishrnsn ought TO do so has disappeared
Every instinct OF self respect. every in
serest. ambition and feeling ought I
ma 8 him a fighting member OF the re