icon for Home page
icon for Kid's Home page
icon for Digital Collection
icon for Activities
icon for Turns Exhibit
icon for In the Classroom
icon for Chronologies
icon for My Collection

Online Collection

"For whom will the Irish vote?"

This is a question often asked by politicians. It is an important one, because "the Irish" are very numerous, and have a great many votes, and their vote frequently turns the scale, both in the States and nation. Two or three things are to be premised.

1. "The Irish" will never, intentionally, vote against liberty, or favor oppressions, by any body, or any where.

2. No son of Erin will regard a public man as the friend of the Irish, unless he is also the friend of Ireland; and no man will be the recognized as the friend of Ireland, who is the enemy or the malinger of IRELAND'S LIBERATOR.

3. No class of men set a lower value upon mere blarney, than "the Irish," especially when a set of men, who want their votes, begin to talk very good to them just about election time.

Now observe:

If you vote for the Whig party, Henry Clay is their great leader and oracle. Henry Clay, in a speech on the floor of the United States Senate, a speech which he had carefully prepared beforehand, and submitted it to the examination of his friends, so that he might say nothing that he could not stand to; in that speech he calls Daniel O'Connell, "THE PLUNDERER of his own country and the libeller of a foreign and kindred people, who himself can only obtain a contraband admission into Society."

Then observe:

If you vote for the Administration party, John Forsyth is the head of the Cabinet, the Secretary of State. John Forsyth, in a letter to his fellow citizens in Georgia, written in August last, speaks of Ireland's best friend as "THE BRUTAL O'CONNELL."

Observe thirdly:

That the reason why these leading statesmen of the United States thus hate Daniel O'Connell, is because he hates slavery, and they love it. Years ago, Daniel O'Connell said:

"I am for speedy, immediate abolition. I care not what caste, creed, or color, slavery may assume; I am for its total, its instant abolition. Whether it be personal or political, mental or corporeal, intellectual or spiritual, I am for its immediate abolition. I enter into no compromise with slavery. I am for JUSTICE, in the name of humanity, and according to the law of the living God."

And his actions have always corresponded with that profession. Hence all despots and all lovers of arbitrary power, whether they be tories or slave-holders,- hate him.

Now, then, observe:

That the abolitionists of this country are the only class of the American people, save his own countrymen, who have always spoken respectfully of the Liberator of Ireland. Look over the whole catalogue of 200 books and pamphlets of the abolitionists, and you will always find his name mentioned with honor. Where will you find a portrait of O'Connell, in a shop not kept by a countryman of his, but at the Anti-slavery Office? The only elaborate elogium on his general character that was ever published in this country not written by an Irishman, was written by John G. Whittier, the abolition Quaker poet, and may be found in the columns of the Emancipator, of May 24th, 1840. These testimonials of regard have not been officious, or for any party or selfish purposes, but because he loves that which we love- Human Liberty. Nothing has ever mortified him more than the manner in which Irishmen in the United States have been misled, in the name of Democracy, to the countenance and support of slavery. Will you not wipe off this reproach?- Vote, then for Liberty and against Slavery. Vote for the true-hearted inheritor of Irish zeal for freedom, for the personal friend and correspondent of O'Connell. Vote for the man that O'Connell declared that he felt is an honor to meet upon the platform of a British assembly in Exeter Hall, to aid in hastening the downfall of slavery. That man is

JAMES GILLESPIE BIRNEY.

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
Contact us for information about using this image.



label levels:

James Gillespie Birney (1792-1857), corresponding secretary of the American Anti-Slavery Society, ran for president on the Liberty Party ticket in 1840. The party was founded by abolitionists who wanted to place slavery on the national political agenda. This article advises "the Irish" to vote for Birney because the abolitionists were the only Americans who spoke well of Daniel O'Connell (1775-1847) who was called The Liberator of Ireland after The Catholic Emancipation Act was passed in 1829. The Irish are advised to vote for liberty and for the man that O'Connell felt it was an honor to meet. The Emancipator was a New York, New York newspaper published for the Anti-Salvery Society from Aug. 1835 to Dec 1841.

 

top of page

"For Whom Will the Irish Vote?" article from The Emancipator newspaper

publisher   The Emancipator
date   Nov 5, 1840
location   New York, New York
width   2.75"
height   9.5"
process/materials   printed paper, ink
item type   Periodicals/Newspaper
accession #   #L05.128


Look Closer icon My Collection icon Document Image icon Detailed info icon


ecard icon Send an e-Postcard of this object



See Also...

"Irish Immigration" article from the Greenfield Gazette and Franklin Herald newspaper

Voting Circular from the Whig State Central Committee

Delegates from abolitionist sector nominate Hubbard for Congressman article in Greenfield Gazette and Mercury newspaper


button for Side by Side Viewingbutton for Glossarybutton for Printing Helpbutton for How to Read Old Documents

 

Home | Online Collection | Things To Do | Turns Exhibit | Classroom | Chronologies | My Collection
About This Site | Site Index | Site Search | Feedback