Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-01-28
AN FRESHMAN ON INTOLERANCE.

we find the following article under
the caption of (" Intolerance Rebuk.
ed" 1t is against the same princi-
pies of ignorance and prejudice upon
which many co.religionists every
where "have no use for that black
Republican" 1t will pay every
Irirhman, and great many Ameri
cans, to read it,
The average intelligence of the
man who writes "stop my paper,n
because it differs from his enligh-
tened views of public policy, is well
illustrated by the following note,
whicu was received at this office on
Thursday morning:
ST. PAUL, MIMI, Jay. 3, 1885,
John 2. Fanerty, Dea Sir: Doant
send mea yore Paper any Longer as
tbs tow Ratical tow sout mea. Yu
Try. TIL.
A man cannot help being unletter.
ed, nor does the Citizen wish to ridi.
cule "the broad and comprehensive
ignorance " displayed in the torego-
ing note, but it is most unfortunate
fact that people who by their "ac-
quirements are least capable of
Judging are always first to sit in
Judgment upon others. Some Of our
people in this country have been so
long mortgaged to the fetch called
the Democratic party that it is like
pulling eye teeth to get them out OF
the old, slavish rut. What they call
Democracy would seem to have
become sort OF religion with them.
1t is the worst form of moral serf-
dom to which history bears witness.
The Irish-American people for years
in this republic, have done the hard
work of the Democratic party, and
what has been their reward 7 When
we first came to America the boss
Democrats thought they were CON-
plimenting the Irish element by
sticking a " representative " of that
nationality on the very end of their
ticket for the lordly Office of consta.
BILE, or something of that kind. The
Republican patty gave the Irish, at
that period, no recognition at all.
Why should it Ninety.nine per
cent. of our race in America voted
the Democratic ticket "straigbt y
and, as a natural result, more than
half of the American people proper
became our political enemies. After
the close OF the civil war several
Irish-American military officers, DIS
gusted with the stupidity of the old
Democratic party, which was re.
sponsible for the rebellion, became
Republicans, and, when Gen. Grant
was inaugurated President OF the
United States, that great great sol
der, with his usual clearsightedness,
recognized the Irish element, aud
appointed such men as Thomas
Murphy and Michael Scanlan to pos
itions of high trust and honor. He
also, in his minor appointments,
showed how well he appreciated the
loyal valor of the Irish soldiers who
fought under his command during
the civil war.
The Republican Irish began to in.
crease in numbers, and large per
centage of the Irish Democratic ele
ment would soon have attached
themselves permanently to the Re
publican party, had not the tyrannl-
cal acts of some Of the most rabid
reconstructionists, Thad Stevens
and others, disguised them. They
voted consistently to remove the
bayonet rule from the Southern
States, and, that accomplished, there
was really no difference between the
Republican and Democratic parties
except the one issue of Tariff or
Free Trade. The ever increasing
tendence of the Democratic party to-
ward the latter policy caused
thoughtful Irish-Americans, who saw
the value of protective laws, to grad
ually estrange themselves from the
Democratic banner. They became
at first Independents, and, subse-
quently, when Blaine appeared up
on the scene as candidate for the
presidency, practical Republicans,
but not Subservlent slaves.
The Citizen never wants the Irish.
American element to become the pc
litical property of any party, but it
firmly believes in attaching. them TO
that party which it believes to be
most progressive, most liberal, and
most for the good Of the whole
American people. That party, it
honestly believes, is at present, the
Republican, and it believes that the
Republican-American princi pl es
which Irlsh-Americans most admire
rational protection to American
industries, extension of American
commerce, the maintenance of the
right of American fishermen to pur.
sue their calling on their native
coasts, unchecked by monarchicaI
fleets; the construction of a suitable
navy to maintain the national honor
and to guard our ocean trade; the
building of Notifications, or the sup
plying of their most approved sub
stitutes on our seaboard, east and
west and south, -are best Illustrated
maintained and represented in the
person of the Hon. James G. Blaine
The Citizen says this not with any
slavish devotion to the person of Mr.
Blaine. although there is IA vast deal
of magnetism, as even his enemies
acknowledge, in that paramount
American, but because it believes
that the time has come when a man
of genius and of profound states
manship is required at the helm Of
State. 1t has no faith in any Pres
ident endorsed by the foreign press
and particularly by the ferocious
London Times, as Cleveland has
been and is. Beware OF the ruler