The San Francisco call., 1896-06-21

On the contrary the good, generous-hearted
son OF Erin had imbibed his politics from
the steamship agents OF Boss Kelly of New
York, who, without any remorse OF con-
science, had informed the green emlgrant
on his way to the land of freedom and
plenty that the Republican party was the
Government, and as such it was their
bounden duty TO be opposed to it on gen.
eral principles.
This doctrine impaired to the new
conner was all-sufficient in consequence of
the crushing blows dealt out to the peas
antry of Ireland by tyrannieal and op-
pressive English Government. and the
emigrant arrayed himself against the
party in power, and unconsciously
dropped into the Democratic party, where
he remained and where he was q welcome
addition to the established Southern De-
mocracy, which needed votes to keep the
chivalry in Office and the shovelry out in
the cold.
So long as the Irish born American citi-
zen did the voting under instructions of
the Southern planter. by which his kith
and kin got into office, the poor good
hearted 1rishman was rubbed down the
back and made to believe that by voting
the Democratic ticket he was crushing the
y,
stroying the power OF the Government
under which he lived.
The civil war, however, brought about a
change, and that change opened the eyes
of the Irish-American people.
In the proclamation of the sanity Abra-
ham Lincoln, which declared that all men
should be free and that all should have an
equal share in the government of this
great country, the Irish emlgrant for the
first time learned that the government
he had been taught to despise and hate
had in reality been the very power that
bestowed on him blessings, rights and
privileges which had been denied him by
the imposing and untruthful South
through its paid New York agents.
Having once got his eyes open 1t was no
longer heresy to believe in the principles
of the Republican party
Thus the light dawned on the Irish in
San Francisco, and in 1876, when the
memorable Hayes and Tilden campaign
was on, eighty-e1ght Irishmen signed
their names and organized what was
known as the "Irsh Republican League"
Foremost in this movement was John J.
Coffey, who never did belong to the
Democratic party. With Coffey were State
Senator Thomas Maher and Edward Gal
lagher. Those three men faced the brunt
of abuse and organized the league with
headquarters at the old Horticultural Hall
on Stockton street, between Post and
Suffer-.
Thus the nucleus of the first Irish Re-
publican Club was started in San Fran
CISCO From this small beginning the club
increased, and four years later, when
James A. Garfield was elected there were
400 mem bers enrolled. The Blaine cam
paign four years later increased it to 1900,
and now in the Mckinney campaign there
are 1000 names on the secretary's books,
with fair promise of many more before
1897 daWns on this City.
The Irish born American citizen has
discovered that under the Republican
Government he is not only permitted to
vote, but he can hold office with impunlty
and without having 10 doff his hat to a
scion OF a cotton plantation, who accord
ing to his hereditary training, looked down
with supreme contempt upon the plebeian
who had to toll for living; and no mat
ter what his natural abilities were he
could not, through Southern Democratic
eyes, be capable of filling any office other
than one OF manual labor.
Having thus got his eyes open to the
generous treatment. accorded him by the
party of progress and protection, the Irish
born American citizen threw his political
influence with the great and grand Re-
publican party.
With this spirit and fixed purpose 10
stay by the good old party which recoa
nizes merit and worth irrespective of
plantation birth the Irish Republican
League reorganized for the campaign of
1896 on last Friday night with the follow
ing officers: President, John j. Coffey;
vice president, james Gllleran; secretary,
Captain H. P. Filgate; treasurer, Arthur
McGurren.
Those four are, nominally speaking, the
officers elected at the first meeting. The
working committees will be named at the
next meeting of the league. when the or