Page:The United States Magazine and Democratic Review, Volume 13.pdf/136

 THE

UNITED STATES MAGAZINE, AND

DEMOCRATIC VoL. XIII.

REVIEW.

AUGUST, 1843.

No. LXII.

THE IRISH REPEAL QUESTION. THE movement now so deeply agitating which it is either to graze in triumph Ireland is, in several of its features, too remarkable a passage of contem poraneous history, not to arrest strongly the notice and interest of the general observer, independent of its peculiar claim upon the sympathies of the Ame rican democrat. Such a spectacle has certainly never been exhibited before, as that aﬁbrded at this moment by that noble and long-suffering people. We have heard a great deal of the power

ant safety or to strew with the shattered fragments of its Wreck,—we behold it approaching the crisis of its fate. It seems scarcely worth while to specu late upon the doubtful issue to which so brief a period must now bring the

solution.

Ve can but hold our breath

as we strain the eager eye, awaiting the imminent moment that is to decide whether the pent voice shall burst forth in a shout of exulting joy, or ﬁnd an of Public Opinion in the present age,— utterance only in the mournful accents this movement appears the most com of lament. But possibly meanwhile, plete instance yet witnessed of its em distant and feeble though it may be, a bodiment, expression, and application cheer of encouragement may not be to a particular point of action, as an wholly useless to strengthen the hearts actual practical force, sufﬁcient to itself of the gallant crew; nor should the and to its object, and fearlessly conﬁ— voice of any American freeman be dentin that sufﬁciency. If it is carried wanting from that swelling acclamation out to the end as it has been begun, as of sympathy whose peal already bur it has thus far proceeded,—above all, thens every western breeze that sweeps if it shall achieve successfully the great across the Atlantic. God save and speed them! What national triumph to which it aspires, preserving still the white robe_of its should any of us care though their pure moral purpose unstained With the great leader should so little understand desecrating deﬁlement of blood,—it Will all the bearings ofa difﬁcult local qt es exhibit one of the most beautiful, as tion of our own, growing out of the well as sublime spectacles the world peculiar institution respecting which has yet had to witness, in all the history those States possessing it are so nerv of the perpetual struggle of Man against ously sensitive! What if O’Connell, in common with the general sentiment his Chains. We watch its course with a deep of his country and time, views from his and anxious interest. Faster and faster, trans-Atlantic distance the subject of nearer and nearer,-—like some noble American slavery in alight leading him ship, laud-locked on an iron coast, to speak of it in a manner similar to

and sweeping on towards the breakers that in which he is at the ame time