Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1888-10-20
LOOK AT IRELANDI

Gen. George Sheridan is one of
the ablest Irish speakers in America.
LII his speech at Indianapolis he
went over the history of England
towards the American colonies,
which forbid any manufacturing un
der penal restrictions. Her policy
then was the same as now -" as
they (the colonies) will have the
providing OF rough (now raw ma
terials to themselves, so shall ace haze
the manufacturing Of them"
"LoOK AT IRELAND.r
Let me for moment call your ut
tention to a country that was not
able, as we were, to escape British
domination, IA country that has felt
the full effect of the British Free.
Trade policy. There lies not under
the sun fairer land than Ireland.
Her soil is rich and yields abundant
harvests to the hands Of toll. She
has vast mineral wealth hidden 10
her bosom, wealth enough to elothe
her sons and daughters in purple
such as kings delight to wear. She
has broad rivers that run down to
the sea, with power enough in their
sweep to set in motion every imple-
ment devised by man for turning
earth'S products into form tor use
and pleasure. She Is land where
Plenty throned aud crowned might
sway It's joyous scepter over homes
where millions dwelt IN peace and
sweet content. But what is Ireland
to,day9 Her genial skies look down
on sad and barren fields that hardly
know the touch of labor's earnest
hand, or smile on wood and park
and silver lakes and towering castles
built by alien hands and occupied
by strangers to the Irish race great
lords who live in splendid luxury and
keep broad acres from the hands of
toll that they may gallop to and fro
and STAY with wanton hands the
game that flies in fear before them,
and this, too, while men are kneel-
ing at their gates begging for just
one acre of Gods own ground where
on to raise the simple food TO meet
the wants and still the sobs that
burst from starving mothers and
famished babes. The treasures God
has planted deep in Irish soil lie all
unused and useless. Her silvery
streams to the sea run down and
scarce turn wheel, set loom in
motion, or send a spindle whirling.
Her sons are beggars and Ler daugh
tiers paupers. Erin today, clad in
rags, that scarce conceal her naked.
ness, sits sadly by the wayside down
and strikes with withered hands
harp whose strings are shattered,
and to its wild, discordant notes
from punched and tamished lips sobs
out the sorrows of her broken heart.
Her days of anguish and nights Of
pain, her nakedness, and her power.
ty, her woefnl desolation, her utter
wreck and ruin, can all be traced
straight to the accursed rule and
iron hand of England--a rule and
hand that struck her growing indus
tries down, silenced her looms and
spindles, robbed her fields Of cattle,
swine and sheep, and covered the
land with a gloom deeper and dark
er than the shadows cast by the
sable wings of death. Such is the
condition to which the English Free
Trade rule has brought the land
that gave my father birth, and yet,
my God, just think of it! the Dem
ocratic party are to day asking Irish
men to vote for the adoption here Of
a policy that has ruined their own
fair land, and exiled its sons and
daughters to other lands where
bread was plenty, and where life was
worth the living. | am the son of
an Irishman, and | canuot under
stand how any man born upon Irish
soil, or any man who has drop of
Irish blood in his veins, can in this
great contest cast his vote for the
! Democratic party. A ballot for
Cleveland is ballot for Free Trade
a ballot for Free Trade is "a ballot
that sets the bells tolling for the
death of industry in this land.