IRISH AND ENGLISH AMERICANS.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XV, Issue 25, 14 October 1887, Page 13

IRISH AND ENGLISH AMERICANS.

The Amsrican of July 30, in the following paragraph, shows the different courses adopted in America by Irish and English emigrants. As matters have gone for years past, there must be a large body of Englishmen residing in America. Sour; of the English newspapers have referred to this fact with the hope that American politicians would find it at least as necessary to conciliate the British as the Irish vote. This ignores the peculiarities of this British immigration. When an Englishman comes to America, he either gives up his interest in his native country, or he docs uot become naturalised at all. It is estimated that there are forty thousand English and Scotch residents of Massachusetts who never have declared their intentions of becoming American citizens, and a movement is on foot to naturalise them in the lump, so th .t they may retaliate upon the Irish for such treatment as tney receive-! in celebrating the Qaeen's Jubilee in Faneuil Hall. Similarly New York swarms with this kind of British residents, and with unnaturalised Irish Piotestants besides. The whole importing trade, as it ia called, is mainly in their hands ; that is, they nre commission agents for British and Scotch houses, anil their adverting patronage supports the Freetrade newspapers, just as their subscriptions uphold the Freetrade clubs. They do not assume the rtsponsibihty of American citizenBnip, because they generally have no intention of making this country their home. Like the Chinese, the Hungarians, and the Italians, they come to make some money and take it home with them. They stike no root in America, and have no sympathy with American ideas, although they indulge in very tall talk about their American experi nces when the? go back to the Old Country. The Irish emigrants generally are very different from this. They throw themselves into our political life with the energy of natural politicians. They evince their entire competency to manage their own country under Home Rule, by managing the land of their adoption

to an extent fully proportional to their numbers and their wealth. And with this they combine a vivid and unselfish interest in the welfare of their native land, which Americans grumble at and respect at the same time. It is this which makes the liieh in America out« weigh even more than they outnumber the Briti3h immigrants. And many of the latter are heartily in sympathy with the Iriah people on all Irish questions. We never have heard more fervent condemnation of England's Irish policy than from English and Scotch residents in America. Their removal to Bourroundings where the parish prejudices of home are not in the atmosphere, enables them to appreciate the infamy of keeping a people starving and dependent upon the alms of the world.