AN GAOḊAL
375
Blaine
A correspondent asks us why we are so enthusi¬
astic in favor of Mr. Blaine's election, as indicated
in the May Gael.
Our answer is —
Firstly, — Being a Republican Democrat, our
sympathies are in unison with the representatives
of that political creed, and from Mr. Blaine's act¬
ions and declarations we look on him as its ideal
champion. Unfortunately in this republic we have
men daubed as Democrats and Republicans who
have no sympathy with the principles underlying
republicanism, but instead, narrow-mindedness
and bigotry. That this characterization is well
founded. We need not go further back than Mr.
Grace's election as Mayor of New York City a few
years ago to fully demonstrate its cogency. For¬
ty thousand bigoted know-nothing Democrats re¬
fused to vote for him because he was a Catholic
Irishman. And yet these bigots would cry horror
if Irishmen should retaliate by voting for a repub¬
lican. It is now in the power of the Irishmen of
New York to pay these bigots back with compound
interest, and if they do not do it they deserve to
be kicked about and scorned as they have been up
to this. The gulled and gullable Irish will vote
for their bitterest enemy because he is daubed a
Democrat. They have invariably done so hereto¬
fore, but we hope they are now sufficiently educa¬
ted in the principles of self respect to see their er¬
ror. If Hewitt, who spoke in the House of Repre¬
sentatives in favor of Irish rights and apologised
in secret to the English Minister that he did so for
"policy", were up for office tomorrow, the Irish
would be expected to vote for him. But the Irish¬
man who would, should not be recognized by self-
respecting men, and the knownothing Democrats
of New York City are all hewitts. There is no
longer a distinct Democratic or Republican party
in this country. The future leading parties will
be Protectionists and Free-Traders. The former
made up of all those who have to earn their living
by the sweat of their brow, and the latter, of those
kid gloved gentlemen who think that there ought
to be a distinction between the employer and the
employed, as in the Old country. We hope the
latter party will never succeed, and they will not
if the wage workers study their own interest.
Secondly — Every republican citizen whether
native born or adopted, owes Mr. Blaine a debt of
gratitude for his successful exertions four years
ago in frustrating the intentions of the monarch¬
ist under the leadership of Grant.
Thirdly, the honor of the republic and the
rights of the citizen would be scrupulously pro¬
tected under the presidency of Mr. Blaine.
Fourthly, The manliness of the man in public¬
ly avowing his sentiments when worldly interest
would seem to dictate his silence —
"I abhor the introduction of anything that looks
like a religious test or qualification for office in a
republic, where perfect freedom of conscience is the
birth-right of every citizen", wrote Mr. Blaine:
What a loft, noble sentiment ! And why should
not every citizen, and especially we, who have been
persecuted and ostracised, (even to-day through
English influence in this nominally free land) for
conscience sake, hail the advent of such a man to
power, with unalloyed enthusiasm. Let not the
caption of a soi dissant Democracy mar the reali¬
zation of that freedom of mind and limb which the
election of Mr. Blaine will assure.
THE MONTREAL CELTIC SOCIETY.
The Inaugural Address, by the President, Rev.
Dr. MacNish.
As the province of the Gael is the preservation
and cultivation of the Gaelic language, it will place
before its readers all matters relating to that sub¬
ject. In placing before the reader the address of
Dr, MacMish we have merely to record our regret
that a people indisputably of the same race and
stock should, by a mere sentiment in which the in¬
dividual only is immediately concerned, be separa¬
ted into hostile camps to the National destruction
of both. The Scotch and Irish being of the same
race and blood, religious sentiments should not in¬
terfere with their racial identity. Let every man
worship according to the dictates of his conscience
in the same manner that he pursues his wordly af¬
fairs, but let the Celts be as one man in the inter¬
est of the race. We hope that the preservation of
the common bond — the language — will conduce to
the attainment of this to be desired end.
Dr. MacNish has kindly sent us the constitution
and by-laws of the Montreal Celtic Society. We
shall print it in full together with the inaugural
address.
Rev. Dr. MacNish's Address.
GENTLEMEN:
I beg to return my best thanks to you for the
honor which you have conferred upen me in ap¬
pointing me President of this Society. My regret,
however, is great and sincere, that you did not se¬
lect some one to fill the honorable office which I
now hold, who has a wider and more through
knowledge of the Celtic languages than I can pre¬
tend to have, and who has more leisure for attend¬
ing to the various requirements of a youthful Soci¬
ety like ours; inasmuch as, even with large zeal
and enthusiasm on the part of members of our So¬
ciety, constant vigilance and earnest diligence are
needed to impart permanent strength and useful¬
ness to our Society. We have a large and an in¬
telligent constituency, however; and, such being
the case, we can in all fairness hope, that our Soci¬
ety, which is still in its infancy, will go on to gath¬
er strength until it reaches the years, and gathers
the usefulness, of a courageus and a vigorous
