LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
[Letters of the length of one of our leading paragraphs are often snore read,and therefore snore effective, than those which fill treble the space.] EN-PRESIDENT WILSON AND IRELAND. [To THE EDITOR OY THE " SFECTATOIl.")
SITC,—Blackwood's Magazine for this month publishes the fol- lowing extract from the " table-talk " of the ex-President, which is given to the public by his late private secretary, Mr. Joseph Patrick Tumulty, who, by the way, is an Irish-American and a Roman Catholic. Alluding to the troubles in Ireland, Mr. Wilson is reported by Mr. Tumulty as saying :—" There can never be a real comradeship between America and England until this issue is settled and out of the way. I should like to he in Mr. Asquith's place (apparently Mr. Asquith was Premier when these remarks were made). I would show this rebel Carson whether he would recognize the authority of the Government or flout it. lie ought to be hanged for treason."
]gr. Wilson was born, educated and married in theStato of Virginia. He was at College in North Carolina and at the Bar in Georgia before ho entered upon the career of a college pro- fessor. These three States were among the eleven which rebelled against the Federal Union in 1860-61, and by their
so-called "secession" brought about the Civil War, which lasted for four years. The City of Richmond, in Mr. Wilson's State, was the capital of the Rebel Government during that time. Mr. Wilson therefore had the opportunity in his early life of studying the meaning of " rebellion " on a vast scale, and during that time was able to learn its lessons under that past-master and noble patriot, Abraham Lineoln. But, in his effort to secure the adhesion to his political fortunes of the Irish- Americans, he has overlooked a very important incident of the great Civil War, which he witnessed at close quarters (and on the wrong side, by the way). The Spectator has more than once called attention to the case of West Virginia in that war. A glance at the map of the United States tells the story. This State was, prior to the war, a part of the State of Virginia. When the war began the counties which now comprise it formed a new State, and demanded recognition as such on the ground of the loyalty to the Union of its population. Their area and population bore a striking resemblance to that portion of Ireland which is now known as Ulster. Relatively to the rest of the old State of Virginia, this area and this population were then about the same as " Ulster " is to the rest of Ireland. The new State was bounded on the north-west by the loyal State of Ohio (from which it was separated, however, by the Ohio River, very much as Ulster is separated from Scotland, for the river Is a very great stream). And its northerly neigh- bour was the loyal State of Pennsylvania; the parent State of Virginia was on its other side, just as Ireland is on the other side of Ulster. The proportion of " rebels" in the new State, if one may judge from a referendum taken on the question of separation, was very small (only 572 voters cast their ballots against it). After this referendum the new State was recog- nized both by President and Congress, and thereafter was on the side of Lincoln in the war. It was the " Ulster " of that period, and, of course, Mr. Wilson has hated it and the prin- ciples which lay behind its birth. Mr. Wilson doubtless is still a believer in the "State Rights" doctrine of "secession," and his violence in speaking of a leader of the contrary doctrine of the "Union" is easily explained. Mr. Wilson seems to have forgotten many things. He has forgotten that his immortal predecessor in the Presidential chair—Abraham Lincoln—was a " Union " man, and would doubtless have been on the side of Carson (whom Mr. Wilson would " hang ") if he had ventured to give publicity to his opinions of the political affairs of a foreign country. He has forgotten, apparently, that he and his policies were condemned a year ago by sixteen millions of his fellow-citizens. He has forgotten that in the election which then took place only eleven of the forty-eight States gave his candidate their electoral votes. And he has forgotten, appa- rently, that only ten of the original eleven " Slave States "
supported that candidate, one of them (Tennessee) going over to his opponent. Mr. Wilson, then, can claim to speak only for ten "Slave" (and disunion) States, while thirty-six Union States and one " disunion " State (using these terms for the sake of convenience) are against him.—I am, Sir, &c., December 4th. S. It. H.
[It may interest our readers to know that our correspondent, though born an Englishman, passed many years in America and held Lincoln's commission in the Federal Regular Army throughout the Civil War. He fought in thirteen battles and WAS wounded.—ED. Spectator.]
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