The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-02-27
FOREIGN AMERICAN CITIZENS.

Defense of Them from the Charge of Un-
American and Dangerous Characters.
John f. Finerty' Speech at Detroit.
Mr.. Harrison, IN behalf of the oppressed ne
groes of the South, appealed to the Irish-Amer-
leans for sympathy. / would like to ask the
honorable gentleman and this splendid audience
whenever did America appeal to tho Irish
American heart that 1t was not answered with
the thr oh of loyalty and the hand of defense.
lGreat applause. From the day when the Con-
tinental Congress gave the commission of major
general to Richard Montgomery, who left
his heroic dust on the blood-stained slopes of
tho Heights of Abraham; from that day to the
day when the of the Irish emigrant, An
drew jackson, broke forever the last remnant of
British military power on this continent in front
of New Orleans; from that day to the day when
the OF the other Irish emigrant smashed at
Winchester the chivalry of the South [applausel;
from that day until the other day when the
son of another Irish emigrant, Gen. John A.
Logan Applause mot only the son Of an Irish
emigrant, but the son of an Irish rebel emigrant.
John A. Logan-when he rallied the broken
Union lines in front of Atlanta after tho death
of MACPHERSON. Those glorious chiefs of the
race mention. but have forgotten to mention
the grand of the Irish soldiery that filed
your ranks, the fiery valor that swept irnpetu-
ously on to Marys Heights to meet at their feet
the glorious death of soldiers and in the cause
of liberty
But Senator Harrison need never ask what
the Irish American will do in the cause of Amer
lean liberty. IApplause.l They do not need,
American citizenship. Laughter They do
not need. sir, to remain here twenty and thirty
years to find out whether it is respectable to be-
come American citizens not. Applause.
They do lot come here, SIR to antaeonize other
nationalities; they come here to do their full
duty under the broad shield of American states
manship. loving the land, indeed. they left be-
hind them, as true men should, and apologizing
to nobody for that love- but devoted. loyal and
willing to sacrifice all that is on earth dear to
them to keep those stars bright and those
stripes brilliant they had been since hand
ed down by the glorious forefathers of the revo-
luton. Applause
Excuse me if have spoken with warmth to-
night, and do not you, my Republican friends
be surprised that hitherto. until that ilustrious
man whose name you cheered appeared upon
the scene, the number of Irish Republicans in
your ranks was not as large as it might have
been; but do not blame the Irish people for that
They never learned that principle in the land
from which they came. Daniel OConnell their
mighty champion, sent back with scorn in the
repeal times the contribution of Charleston and
New Orleans to the Irish fund because it came
from slave labor. [Applause.l But when they land
ed in New York and elsewhere they heard the
song of the siren sung by American Democratic
lips they learned the lesson If they ever felt it
in their hearts. They learned, not in Ireland
but in America, the lesson that their charity
should not extend to men of all colors. But,
granted that some of them were in error on that
point, SO also were some Americans, who are
much more reprehensible. lAppaauSe.
The leaders OF treason in this country have
never been lrishmen; the leaders OF treason IN
this country have never been foreigners. Some
foreigners there who followed traitors;
some foreigners there are who, affected by in
sane principles and confounding geographical
boundaries. have come to this country to i'm
agine they are going to fight the despotic gov
eminent of Russia; but such cases. sir, few
and far between. The overwhelming mass of
all the foreign population coming into this coun-
try. enjoying its blessings, its benefits and it's
glories, are as true to the flag of their adoption
as the men who born beneath it. lap
plause.1 Let not ever barrier be raised be-
tween the native and the foreign-born citizen.
Let no distempered prejudice, let miserable
tradition, let misconceived legislation ever
place the ban of prescription the foreigner
who is honest and industrious, and seeks
these shores as an asylum and
future home Let broad
liberality of craftsmanship govern all the
actions of the great Republican party, the great
liberal. progressive party of America with
platform broad enough for all to stand on, with
a flag wide enough ALL let it march
ahead on it's of victory, with the broad
love and generous sentiments of the ilustrious
American whose have met to honor
o-night Let them remember that George
Washington, the founder of this government,
the champion of it's liberties, recognized in his
own ilustrious person the principle of broad
and universal liberation. that he recognized not
tho country came from, or the State or
section in which he born. Sufficient
it to him that the who pledged his alleg-
ance to the country remained true TO that coun-
try; and he knew by his own personal expert
cite and DeKalb that be could rely on the for
eigner as we'll as upon the American in the
and defense of American right and