The Sun.
London, England, 1866-01-27 00:00:00

The Fenian Brotherhood—How to Arrange
all Difficulties.

The Fenian Congress, now in session in this city, seems
at last to have arrived at some satisfactory conclusion.
President O'Mahony's accounts have been examined and
have been found quite correct. The Congress is entirely
contented with the exhibition. It appears that none of the
Fenian funds have been expended for cigars and cham-
pagne or patent leather boots. Indeed it is stated that the
salaries of those persons employed at the Fenian head-
quarters know not how they can afford to wear any boots at
all. The kid glove canard of course falls to the ground with
the rest of the • stories about the misappropriation of the
money received for the liberation of Ireland. The books
foot up squarely ; all the items are endorsed by the Con-
gress, and the balance sheet presented is a model to our
business meu. This being the case, and the finances
being in such an extremely rosy and balmy condition, the
meeting would doubtless have adjourned in the very
highest hilarity had not President O'Mahony, anxious to
do something extraordinary to celebrate his vindication,
entered the hall and road from same paper the bogus repot
that the Fenians in Ireland were actually fighting, and
had won their first battle. No such news, and no news
of any kind, had reached this country from Europe during
the day, but the credulous Congress accepted the report
as gospel. The authors of this cruel hoax may cones'
tulate themselves upon its success. The members of the
Congress indulged in cheers, and tears, and praYert
and finally broke up with great excitement to find
themselves the victims of a stupid and foolish practical
joke.

But although this little incident throws a gleam of satire
over the proceedings of the brotherhood here, Yet this
Congress has amply shown that the rank and file of the
Fenians are in earnest, that they really desire to settle
their differences, -and that they wish to help suffering
Ireland in some way or other. If they refuse to listen ta
our suggestion, and turn the money in the hands of their
treasurer into an emigration fund, and if they still Pet"!
in their projects of rebellion, revolution, a war with
England, and an Irish republic, let them arrange their
quarrels and cover their plans and purposes with the cloak -
of secrecy. No conspiracy that ever amounted to anything
was reported in all the newspapers from day to day. A •
rebellion that everybody knows all about is fatal to no one
except those who originate it. The circles that are repre-
sented in this Congres profess to be perfectly satisfied will
O'Mahony. Very well, then, let them obey him implicitly,
and make no further fuss in regard to the matter. MI
for those circles that have faith in Roberts, they can either
yield to the will of the majority or they can keep up their
organisation, with Roberts at their head, and assist
the Fenian cause in their own way. There is nothing to
prevent two organisations from acting effectively together
in aid of the same object, provided they do not tall out
about minor affairs and neutralise each other by a quarrel
worthy of Donnybrook. It would, of course, be better if
they could all act under the same head, and if O'MallonY'
Roberts, General Sweeney, and the senators could shake
hands and be friends ; but even at the worst the two
organisations doing their work independently would be
preferable to this constant and disgraceful squabbling, thig
crimination and recrimination, this mutual abuse and
slander. We have no great faith that the Fenians ~,
ever be able to accomplish anything practical ; but if WY
are of a different opinion, for Heaven's sake let them go
to -
work and show us some results. Far be it from us to
object if any set of men choose to make fools of them'
selves in a manner that does no mischief to any one
except the English. But in order to accomplish anything
the Fenians must be quiet, reticent, secret, mysterious'
Making loud speeches, and blackguarding each other will
never free Ireland or render Fonianism respectable. Nire
therefore advise concert, harmony, and mystery to the
Fenian brotherhood ; and if we had no other motive for
this counsel it would be enough to say that the adoption of
our advice will relieve the public from a dispute of which
nobody seems able to comprehend the merits, and which
has long since become a serious annoyance and a common
nuisance. If these are plain words they are also true °neat
and the Fenians may thank themselves and their leaders
that such words are both just and necessary.—New
Herald.