The Irish standard., 1898-06-18
DAVlTT AND HIS PETITION.

DAVlll AND HIS PETITION.
No living lrishman is more sternly
| opposed to a British American alliance
of any kind than is Michael Davitt, the
| veteran patriot who spent the best Is
| years Of his life in English prisons. He
was in Washington when the Olney-
Pauncefotc arbitration treaty was be-
| fore the United States senate, and there
| is no doubt that he was instrumental in
| giving that international measure it's
quietus. He was one of the Irish mem
bers in the British parliament who inter-
ruptcd and Intercepted Joe Chamber.
lain during the delivery OF the address
IN which he contcmptuously referred to
the lrish-American voters and declared
That an AnSio-SaXon alliance would be
| eifectllut9d in spite of them whenever
this country and England thought it
Necessary for the promotion Of their
| mutual interests.
y few weeks ago we published in these
columns m mortal from the poverty
stricken peasants OF Mayo to be present.
| ed by MI Davtt to the president and
congress OF the United STATES, appealing
to them in the name of humanity not
to entertain any question of an alliance
with Great Britain except on terms
which include the establishment of ma
tlonal self-sovernmcnt in Ireland as adj
Hocated by the late Liberal leader and
supported by :hc Scotch, Welsh and
/ nearly half the English electors
one OF the Chicago papers, which has
made hobby of the Anglo-Amyrican
alliance. thinks it is entirely out of place
Tor Mr.. Davitt to bother this country
with his Irish grievances The Amer
lean government must be assumed 10 be
competent to manage its own affalrs,"
says the Anglo-SaXon sheet of tic WiuIle
City. When British cnvoys were oynr
here Il short time ago TO push the AL
lance along. the Chicago organ OF
jinsoism, the Tribune, did not saw ihev
ought to stay at homo and not NEEDLE
i'll American affairs us "citizons of ar
other country.
The Tribune says that such an &C; ON
the part of Davitt will not please Amer
leans who are not disposed to take mn
the quarrel between lrishmen and the
BRUSH government. But Americans
took up the quarrel between Cubans ard
the Spanish government, and all in the
name OF humanity. The Cubans have
never suffered il tithc of the oppression
that has been borne by the Irisl. under
the Saxon yoke. The Americans owe
moro to the Irish than to the Cubans,
and we see no improperly in the pre-
scntallon Of Z memorial from the starry
ing people Of Ireland to the chief magis-
tratc ard congress OF this great republic.
1t is historical fact which cannot be
gainaald that the Americans in the days
on the revolution sent petition to the
Irish parliament asking the sympathy of
the Irish people for their Just cause
against England, and the bearers of the
memorial were cordially received by the
Dublin assembly. Has this nation for
gotten what the Irish did for it iii its
ihihu'J .>OW, NHPll lllc OFFSPRING q!
the traitors Of the revolution wan; a
closer alliance with England than with
France or Russia. the friends of Amer
lea in the past. to prop up their mother
country in her decreptude and decay
to enable her the more successfully to
hold piratical sway over weaker ma
tons, all true Americans of the various
nationalities will oppose the unholy al
lance. Michael Davitt. as the rcprsscn-
tativc Of Ireland. has as much right TO
appear at Washington in opposition to
the project as an English member of
parliament has to appear in furtherance
OF it. We are sure that whatever the
outcome OF his mission may be, he will
be accorded respectful hearing by both
president and members OF congress,
Notwithstanding the criticism of the
Chicago Tribune, which is rapidly dc
generating into IL British organ The
Americans whose sentiments it voices
are vastly outnumbered by the Amer
leans who claim Europe and not Eng
land rs the birthplace of themselves and
their progcnitors.