Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-09-28
THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
Why Irishmen Vote the Democratic
 Ticket.

Why Irishmen Vote the Democratic
 Ticket.
 Editor of the DEMOCRAT:
 Dear Sir:-I was stopped on the street the other day by very intelligent gentle man who very abruptly asked me why are Irishmen democrats. It has long been an enigma to the upper ten thousand why the Irishman Is a democrat. All sorts of eX- plantations but the right onel have been given.
 The fuvorite one with a certain class of gentry is that it is the high-sounding name of democracy which deceives and induces them to enter within its fulds-which. like the boa constructor, crushes. besmears with saliva. and then swallows them. Others with no more truth. but greater cunning than our silk stocking friends, say that it is that dreadful monster-their religion; and others. with no soul or patriotism. pretend to believe that it is from downright stu pidity or maliciousness.
 It is strange they have never analysed the heart and feelings of the Irishman. Had they spent one-half the time or shown one-fourth the saGacity in this that they have used in seeking out and magnifying his faults they would have discovered that every impulse of his heart responds to the generous pure and patriotic principles of the democratic faith Cold and selfish proscriptienists torture into deformitv his love of the green isle. and because they find themselves incapable of noble an emotion for the land of their birth, they stamp it in him us crime, and would eX- cite the fears of silly fanatics to doubt the possibility of an Irishman ever having a 1 true love for the land of his adoption 1 They cannot appreciate the feelings which make the son of Ireland look back with d 1 sigh to the little cot the fond old mother who bore him, the green fields, from which 1 the lark springs soaring into the heavens, l pouring out the song familiar to his bow 1 hoods ear. the hedges. from which the 1 thrush's note woke him to his daily labor. the dance where love and frolic were the order of the night. It Is strange that thoughts of all thcsr should make the eye ] glisten and the manly breast heilve with d ] sigh? No, thousand times. no. It gives l the best proof that the heart is honest and human. It is the best security of loyalty and freedom. He feels that oppression | has driven has driven him from home and he knows that it was the same opprrssor's x hand drove the colonies to revolt against the oppressor.
 i This is why he seeks this free land. and it Is this knowledge and feeling that leads ! him to sympathiZe with that party which has ever resisted the encroaChmentS of the common enemy. Democracy is born with him, it grows with his growth and strength ems with his strength. His temperament is conGenial to liberty, and his spirit chafes under the unnatural and inhuman restraint of the oppreSsor. He realizes in the land of his adoption that for which his conntrymcn have long hoped for poor old | Ireland, self government. personal equality and freedom.
 Who shall paint the emotions of the adopted citizen aS he looks upon his little. son running about tperhnps in ragsl and knows that it k possible that that son may yet chain the ear of listening senate or fill the gubernatorial chair, or better still. lead the soldiers of the republic Gts Phil Sheridan didI against its enemies. In this single fact he realizes the very essence of democracy. His affections. his gratitude, and his love of justice. all lead him to the democrntic party.
 Certainly n mothers love draws to her the child she has nourished at her i breast. w. WATERWAY. Sept 2G, 1893.