The Sun.
London, England, 1870-06-16 00:00:00

THE TWO FENIAN RAIDS.

Although there is at first glance much similarity between
the two miserable Fenian affairs of 1866 and 1870, there is
a contrast worth noticing in the essential elements of their
histories. The same point was chosen for the rendezvous
and for the crossing into Canada • the same inflation was
attempted by absurdly exaggerated reports, and the same
humiliating conclusion came to the enterprises combining
wickedness and folly in a measure matched by no other
incidents of our day. But in 1866 the abrupt termination
of the raid, which might otherwise have assumed more
serious and tragic proportions, was due almost wholly to
the interference of the United States Government.
The Fenians starred with high hopes. The sup-
posed magnitude of their order had induced many
fawning politicians to shew them marks of respect, and
to give them half-promises of a forbearance which would
amount to co-operation. The audacity of their enter-
prise had fascinated a few men of character and military
ability, unsatiated with glory by their experience in our
own war, who had joined their cause and lent it a tinge of
respectability. The suddenness and mystery of their
coming had spread alarm through the threatened section
of Canada. While the regular troops marched toward
the line the inhabitants fled from their homes and sought
safety in Montreal or on the American side of the frontier.
A wide region was deserted and left open to the ravages
of the Fenians. They swaggered about Canadian soil
for -days, stealing horses, plundering farms, con-
fiscating silver ware and bedclothes, fright-
ening women and taking unarmed prisoners.
When they did encounter a picket of British troops, the
retreat of the enemy generally enabled them to call them-
selves victorious. The main body of regulars and volun-
teers waited respectfully in strong positions for their
further advance. A skirmish of serious proportions was
only prevented by the general seizure of arms and ammu-
nition by the United States authorities ; the invaders were
left with absolutely nothing to fight with ; and when they
came back wretched across the line, they were at least
able to say that they had been defeated by the President
and not by John Bull. But this year no such shadow of
a boast is left them. No lack of arms or
ammunition has been reported. Full and careful
preparation of this kind has been made in advance. The
Canadian farmers, having learned better the calibre of
their assailants, have thought it worth while not to
abandon their homes without an attempt at defence, and
a single volley from their muskets Ihas sufficed to burst
the bubble. The point of crossing selected, above Frank-
lin, is most ineligible for an advance likely to meet with
resistance, and not supported by artillery. The raid was
checked on the border itself, as it might have been
checked before ; and though the civil officers of the United
States were ready to follow up the overt act with
an arrest of the leaders, the Fenians cannot attribute to
their action their own complete and speedy failure. We
might call the whole affair a farce but for the blood which
stained the few feet of British soil upon which the in-
vadels ventured to tread ; but the sacrifice of life which
has been made turns tne prevailing feeling from ridicule
at the supreme absurdity of the plan and its execution
into indignation at the villany which has led deluded men
to death for its own profit. The Irishmen most interested
will distribute the blame for themselves. Nothing
is more evident than that somebody has pushed
thiii senseless scheme forward for gain. For
our part we should first suspect a commander who would
cross a boundary line with blatherskite about returning
victorious or dead, and then would step back opportunely
after the first shot to be " captured ' by a civil officer
with no weapon but a writ. But certainly it seems as if
-the whole affair had been so clear to all men's eyes that
not an Irishman can be left in Amerisa who will again
sign a Fenian roll, nor an Irish woman who, even four
years hence, will contribute a penny to a Fenian funds.
The curtain which falls this week should never rise upon
such another lamentable display of folly, with deceit and
delusion in the first act, and disgust and death in the
finale.—Boston Advertiser.