Year: 1877

especially alausdA at Be idsA tlaak the eol-
ored people can be driven to eDigrate
from the eouth6fn SIdfss Tiers dsn b
no doubt but that prediction that four
or Eve millions. q. f.Irishmen ana women
would leave their native land for ''Wesr-
ing of the Green, would have been sub
ject of derision to the British ministers
who executed Robert Emmett, and who
afflicted Irish Catholics with disqualifi-
cation for suffrage or Office. The small
wits who ridiculed the great apostle of
Irish liberty as the big Beggar Man, ="
and the contributions of the poor for the
liberation of their country as the ''Rint"
for his services, were delighted at the ex-
clusion and contempt in which Irish mem
bers were held in the British Parliament.


Yet from this political and social intoler-
ance has arisen hatred of their mother
country which has weakened England, and
given to America an element of strength
and prosperity. The Frederick the Great
Of Prussia, in granting an audience to
the minister of the French' King, was
asked by the latter whether his master
could perform any act which would be
acceptable to him? Il would thank him
greatly" replied the Emperor, ''for an
other revocation of the edict of Nantes. i"
That act of religious perfdy had driven
from France to, Prussia. as to England,


many Of the best mechanics of France,


and to that extent strengthed the re-
sources of her rival


There may be the same danger of driv-
ing this valuable class of citizens from
among us. Their situation is in one re-
spect analogous to that of the Irish
peasantry. They own no property.


They have no homes. No popula-
ton was ever SO easy to remove.


We have only to imagine them pressed
by the fear which animates the women's
address. We have only to suppose that
her Majesty Queen Victoria should desire
additional labor in Jamaica or any other
Of her tropical colonies. 1t is barely pla-
sible that the Abolitionists who have man
ifested SO, much abstract sympathy for
the oolored race should negotiate for
Ian DIS and location in the States of Vera
Cruz or Oajaca or Colima, or in the para
disc of Michoacan. What land would
not welcome a trained labor that produces
annually ten times the value of all the
silver crop of Mexico2 What people ex-
cept the Democracy of the South would
not be appalled, at the transfer of such
labor, and its employment in competition
against those who despise and oppress
themp We are aware that neither few
newspaper paragraphs nor even the drop
shot murders with which the bulldozer
unloads his revolver can produce this
evil. 1t is undoubtedly among possibii-
ties which we should endeavor to prevent


Our reply to the appeal of these poor
WON en- would recognize and allay their
terror. We would convince them that we
are not ungrateful to those who have done
so much for as. 1t would be wise to teach
them that our interests are as identical in
freedom as they were in slavery. We
would say the South needs mechanics and
mariners without regard to color. There
is enough for all; that the colored women
of Louisiana could produce for themselves
and for the country millions of dollars by
working in the manufacture of cotton,
and that industry is always respected and
protected. The apprehension of the col
ored women is not proper subject for
ride cule. Neither their fears nor their
prejudices should be trihed with. They
may be in themselves feeble, but they
may find friends who are able to aid
them and to injure u.s.. Both parties have
pledged themselves to the protection of
these people, and it would be dishonora-
BILE to intimidate them out of their rights,
and then abandon them to the contempt
or injustice of those who neither appre-
ciate their value nor respect their feelings.