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to do so. If you remain here you will be fairly treated as will be all
Irishman."
"You're a Teague," Lytle snarled.
"No, sir," Reynolds said coldly. "I am an Irish Catholic who is now an
American citizen. In our country there is complete separation of Church and
State. There is no official state religion..."
"But you will side with the Catholics against the Protestants, that's what
you will do..."
"Mr. Lytle." Lee's words cracked like a whip, silencing the man. "If you came
here for a religious argument you may leave now. If you came as an elected
official of this city, then address yourself to your reasons for your
presence."
Lytle was breathing hard, unable to speak. It was CouncilorMullan who broke
the silence.
"General, the Protestants in the north are a much maligned people who are now
united in peace with one another. We are a hard-working people who have built
Belfast, in very few years, into a successful and growing city. We weave linen
and build ships. But if we unite with the backward south there will be changes
I am sure. The past has been a turbulent one, but that I feel is over. Now
what will happen to us?"
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"You, and every other resident of this island, will be treated equally. I
sincerely hope that you all follow the example of the people of Canada, where
national elections have been held and a government has been democratically
elected. The same we hope will be true of Mexico in the near future, now that
the invading army has been expelled."
"If you letthem rule us there will be murder in the streets "
"Mr. Lytle," Reynolds said quietly, "there is no more'them.' There is only
democracy now, where all men are equal. One man, one vote. I should think that
as an elected official yourself you would respect that fact. Ireland will no
longer be ruled from above, ruled by a distant monarch and a self-appointed
nobility. You are a free man and you should be grateful for that freedom."
"Freedom!" he cried out. "We are ruled by invaders!"
"For the moment," Lee said calmly. "But when you have had your election we
will be more than happy to leave. You will have your own police force then to
protect you, an army of your own as well to guard against foreign invasion if
that is threatened. We have offered you freedom from foreign rule. You would
be wise to take it."
The mayor glared pure hatred. Unspoken was the knowledge that his Protestant
majority in Northern Ireland would now be a minority in Catholic Ireland.
"You cannot be sure that the new Ireland will not have a place for you,"
Surgeon Reynolds said quietly. "If we fight for equality we may be able to
forget the inequalities of the past. Is that not worth working for? Do you see
my blue uniform and General Lee's gray one? Do you know the significance of
this? We fought a terrible civil war, brother killing brother and now we have
turned our backs on it and live in peace. Can you not abandon your tribal
loyalties and learn to live in peace with your brothers who share this island?
Isn't that a goal worth achieving, an ambition worth attaining?"
His answer was only grim silence. But from their expressions it was obvious
that the two men were not pleased with the prospect of a brave new world.
Lee spoke into the silence.
"You gentlemen may go. Please contact me at any time concerning matters of
the public good. We are all on the same side, as Surgeon Reynolds has so
eloquently said.
"The side of peace."
Despite General Sherman's refusal to let him be anywhere near the invasion
fleet, John Stuart Mill had still managed to arrive in Ireland as soon as
hostilities were at an end. By appealing directly to President Lincoln, who
had spoken to the Secretary of the Navy, who had confided in AdmiralFarragut ,
who in turn had gone to CommodoreGoldsborough for aid.Goldsborough made the
eminently practical suggestion that Mill should see the war from the deck of
his ship, the USSAvenger. Since the British had no ironclads that could
better or even equal her in strength, his safety would not be put into
question. Mill greatly enjoyed this wartime experience, particularly when the
great ship had fired at an unseen target in Dublin, using the most modern
communication, and had in this manner brought about the surrender of the
British troops in Dublin Castle.
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Only when martial law had been partially lifted was he permitted ashore. Even
then a troop of cavalry escorted his carriage from the dock to Fitzwilliam
Square, while General Sherman's aide, Colonel Roberts, accompanied him.
"It is a splendid city," Mill said looking at the leafy square and the [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
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