Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-01-05
THURSDAY, JANUARY 5. 1888.
IRISH AGITATION IN AMERICA.

tation ''not to know him is to admit our selves unknown" But still the fact is that we were ignorant of the name and exist ence-as we are still of the profession or party-of the undistinguished gentleman until friend called our attention to pre- tentious article in 'tThe Forum" for De- cember, under title 'Irish Agitation in America and signed with the name of the "A Lawrence Lowell aforesaid. The ar ticle covers eleven pages of the magazine. It is almost unanswerable in it's arguments for it is full of crudities and contradictions that cannot be grasped at. It is wholly unconvincing because wholly inaccurate in it's deductions from admitted facts It is full of platitudes evidently piled up for partisan purposes; for reading between the lines it is not difficult to discover that while Irish agitation in America is the pre- text for a not very courteous diatribe against nationality, the Irish almost general support of the Democratic interest is the well-spring lions ct origo malorem"-of thewriter's evil outpourings How can we answer that which rom it's absurdity is unanswerable? There is one point propounded with something like in telligible purpose as follows:
 Naturalization does not mean change of dom icile and grant of the franchise alone. It means great deal more than this and the laws by which it is allowed are based upon the suppostion that the person availing himself of them will become in heart and soul citizen of the country of his adoption. The privilege, however, conferred by such laws, like all other privileges, entail bonding duties. It is the duty of a foreigner who becomes naturalized to discard the National sen timents in which he was nurtured and to regard the country of his adoption as having an exclu- i've claim on his loyalty.
 Not much, MT Lowell, as far as the Irish are concerned. While subjects of other European powers expatriate themselves from their parent States and, coming here to seek citizenship, renounce allegiance to their native and natural monarchies, the Irish who come, flee from the tyranny of a government that they do not regard as either native or natural-from the pressure of laws which being inegitimate command no loyalty; and while repudiating ale glance to all foreign powers and potentates especially the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, but take more closely to their heart of hearts the claims of and their du- ties to the Motherland of their love.
 MT Lowell apparently holds that this continuing attachment to and agitation for native land weakens the Irishmans worth as citizen of the lend of his adoption. Where has this erudite and logical writer found facts upon which to base such assertions Look around, and where in any class of any na- tlonality has there been exhibited such practical evidence of gratitude for the asy- lum given them from old world tyrannies and the protection afforded for their en. terprise and industry? In all works o1 progress, from the pick-axe men on the railroads, and the hod carriers in ou1 great cities, to the leading spirits in engi neering skill and science the Irish have held their own for the good of this coun try, even while sending sympathy and money-aid over ocean for the freedom o1 their brothers at home. In Art, and Lit erature and Law-on the Judicial Bench and at the Editorial desk, the Irish are amongst the first in all the essentials that dignify these callings; and still they find time to think and toll for the old land ot their love. In the Halls of Legislation who more acute than the Irish exiles; and vel our law-givers do not deem it inconsistent to think of the bad laws, under which their kith and kin suffer far away. Irisl names were found prominent in the Declar- ation of Independence, which was our en- franchisement from colonial serfdom, and gave us free United States; and Irisl blood flowed as freely as any other or many a battle ground for the preservation of that Union. Let one instance of IrisI neglect of American duty, as a conse quence of Irish Agitation in America b. pointed out; and we shall perhaps be prepar cd to admit not that Irishmen should sur render their home loves, but that mor, zeal in requiting hospitality would advisable. -.. .---su...
 It is evident that MT Lowell has not native country, repatriation from whic
  places - for the spot where his infan first looked upon Gods sunlight and wer gladdened by mothers smile-for tn scenes of his boyhood associations tn chapel on the hillside where he lisped hi first prayer and the hallowed corner in tn Church-yard where the bones of his fatl
 CTS lie. There was poetry and pathos i the dying Irish woman's question to he priest: "Win my soul pass over Irelan on its way to Heaven?'-for in that Irelan the children of her young motherhood lay In this connection we would say of Lowel as Macduff said of Macbeth, ''He has n children p At any rate he has no countr far away endeared to him the more she oppressed; he has no old-time association in which to take pride in the midst of e1 acting duties in the present; he has not tn incentive of home memory that would urg him to exclaim with Lord Byron's hero 1T could love my dungeon for twas Ven ice" he is simply utilitarian in it's mos circumscribed aspect and never, perhaps