The San Francisco call., 1895-12-21
WOULD INVADE ENGLAND.
W. NJ. Mclaughlin Says War
" Would Cause an Uprising
in Ireland.
AN ARMY IN TWO WEEKS.
Hon. Frank McCoppin Discusses the
Presidents Message and the
a.. Situation.

'As soon as the Irish people could get
arms there would be an invasion of Eng
land if that country should become en-
brolled In war with the United States,''
said W. NJ. Mclaughlin of 224 Langton
street yesterday afternoon.
Mr.. Mclaughlin is in position to know
what he is talking about He visited his
former home IN Ireland two years ago,
alter an absence OF twenty-six years, most
OF which he had spent in San Francisco
He has raised family and accumulated
considerable property here, and conse-
quently viewed the situation in Ireland
from the standpoint of an American, with
the advantage of being among friends and
relatives.
The feeling there is intensely anti
British" he said. 'The people adore
America. Their sympathies are with this
country, from which they have learned
the lesson of the value of personal liberty.
There would be no immediate out
break, though. This is because the Irish
residents have no firearms. Why, the
visitors to the country, even, are not al
ToWed TO carry weapons.
"Should America send a steamer load of
arms and ammunition to Ireland the ef-
feet would be electrical. / was only in the
neigh borhood of Londonderry in the
north of Ireland, but / know there would
be gathering OF fighters from all over
the island. Inside of two weeks an army of
10000 men could be in readiness to cross
che Irish Sea and devastate England s
great eities.'
Mr.. Mclaughlin said he would send his
boys to the front and enlist himself if the
cOuntry should need his services. He was
ont Of far of ha aif
-Zens of Irish birth would do the same.
:, In the following Hon. Frank McCoppin
.lntelligently discusses the Presidents mes
: sage and the critical situation:
The Presidents message is, in my opinion,
the most momentins State paper that has
been written since the emancipation procla-
nation. Its full import is not yet digesled by
b. the people, and therefore not fully understood
in all It's bearings.
1t has made profound impression all over
the world. Millions of columns OF matter are
=: printed annually in newspapers which leave
mo lasting impression-they are born in the
E: morning and die before night. But here is q
: paper, equal TO about a single column in an
ordinary newspaper, which has been read
throughout the world inside of twenty-four
hours from its promulgation, and which will
live as long as the Republic.
- The rubicon is crossed, and this Nation will
never recede one hairs breadth from the lines
'- laid. down by the President. Were it TO do so
its .decadence would commence from that
hour. A war between England and the United
States is no light matter to contemplate 1t
.. woulda mean universal War-a war that would
involve the readjustment OF the frontiers OF
p nations and the making OF new map OF the
world: England's threat 10 destroy, in the
:eyent OF war the property OF Americans upon
the seaboard is not going to COW warlike peo-
pie in whose souls the spirit OF liberty dwells.
They would not IN such a conflict quail even
shonld every city upon the Atlantic coast be
laid in ashes by British ships.
While that was being done, II it could be
done, the British hag would disappear
american continent, north and south,
and one OF, her great highways to the
East-Che Canadian Pacific Railway-would
be taken from her. In sending all her availa-
ble troops to Canada Egypt would be exposed
70 the French, TuTkey-Consta tantinople-to
Russia, and Australia would be left to its own
= devices. Mexico and all the South American
republics would be as one with the United
states, and the chances are as five to one that
in the end the British empire would be dis
rupted. This Is no Idle talk; 1t is my most
earnest conviction, and. therefore, it veXes me
TO hear and read the fippant way in which
some people talk and write about the Presi
dents great message.
1t is like talking about pimples in the pres
ence of a lofty mountain or figuring upon the
number OF pannikins the water passing over
Niagara in a single day would fill.
There is one phase of this question of war or
peace which has not been touched as yet. It's
effect upon the money bags is going TO test the
:. patriotism of the rich people OF the United
States as it has not been tested since the sign
ing of the Declaration OF Independence. Be-
sides there were no colossal fortunes in this
- country at that time, and Americans were not
then watching the money markets OF the world
to see whether bonds and stocks were up or
dowA..
-. The war of independence was fought by
brave but poor people, whose currency was
. i"rag money" whereas a war with England at
:. this time would be one OF principle purely,
and would at first go deep into the money-bags
oil the rich, and for this reason it will be inter
. esting to observe the course they will take
after the first strong. wave of feeling is passed
and the sober second thought comes home.
nations workeTs-the bone and sinew of the
?. land-the men who would take the rifles and
go to the front-are always patriotic, and can be
depended upon in time of peril to answer the
pEgle call to arms.