The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-10-08
NEW YORK HERALD, SUNDAY, oUrOBEk ., 1856

sane amount weekly the funds Of the organization
Peculiar precautions are taken that no member shall
and that kind Of miniature republican government II
maintained successfully throughout every department
THE CINCINNATI CONVENTION
Another ssCrand Convention held in January 81
this year. at Cincinnati attended by three hundred
delegates from the United States representing hun
dred and nty thousand members and 6y delegates from
newspapers state that It's proceedings were conducted
with all the dignity and courtesy OF national representa-
tive assembly Not much OF the business
vention, however has been divuged az OF the former
one.
One important resolution OF the convention was call
made upon each branch Of the brotherhood for Ave dol
lars q member which call, we informed, has been
promptly responded TO- and another perhaps the most
vcntion be held on Irish so About the period this
last convention established Fenian Sisterhood,
which bids fair TO rival the masculine fraternity.
OBJECTS OF THE MOVEMENT AND MEANS FOR THEIR
ACCOMPLISHMENT.
30 much for the history OF the Fenian movement
Let us survey Of its objects and the relied
The Fenians are ayowedy revoiutionsts not Of that
class Of Irish insurrectioniss who believe II possible
hooks The Fenian leaders are no mere enthusiasts,
but men who have taken up downright revolution as
the business Of their lives. 0'Mahony,. the
clerical enemies OF the movement as man of highly
cultured mind chvarous nature, and great determine
mon :, 70 ss personal sna Se
Irish IN America he Is doed while by the disasscted
N Ireland he is looked upon as their future dcverer
The organization which this rules pfocaims as its
eading axiom that To affect an Irish revousion grand
military organization is absolutely neccssary-that
s;ss saa son, and hat in sho, 70 destroy Enssh do.
minion in Ireland desperate struggle must be
tered Powder shot and shell, rifles and cannon
foremost in the Fenian litany. Accordingly at every
meeting the brotherhood tho necessity Of supplying
these Indispensable to the revolutionary element
in Ireland is earnestly impressed upon the
Money and material freely
manifested in this portion Of The Fenian programme that
in two months foundation the Fenian sisterhood
alone returned upwards OF f200 600 sterling the Fen
exchequer for the purpose OF supplying arms State
curing funds for the same purpose Monster pcnics
fancy fairs tals concerts and fees constantly being
held in each State Of the Union the proceeds Of which
avowedly for revolutionary purposes. Nor do they
confne their operations to the supplying Of
A feet Of prvateers is Of the possibilities OF their
philosophy They acknowledge the superiority of Eng
land on the seas and deem necessary to meet her on
her favorite element They even aspire to the dignity
Of clads. Not very long ago the Head Centre Of
he feels assured there is little chance Of his being
disappointed that President johnson will give to the
who 'ns the Obtained IL and that
Ireland would be recognized as a Dellgerent by tho
American government; and the New York press not
slow to favor this Fenian notion There are many men
OF undoubted standing at present in the organization
The state Centres are for the part wealthy Irish
many Catholic are IN Its ranks
the Fcnan Military Council, went arm In arm with
Father Wgelt the superior Of the Jesuits, to head
Fenian procession in Washington. General Meagher Is
Of its members and the late General Smith, Of the
United states Army, whose death recorded by the
American papers with strong expressions Of regret
the time Of his death member of the Fenan Central
Council Nearly every Irish officer and every Irish sol
der with scarcely exception members Of the
ganzaton and Is that many United States
Senators and government officials its avowed friends
MYSTERIOUS CHARACTER OF THE ORGANIZATION IN
IRELAND
In the United States there is little for doubling
that the Fenian Brotherhood has attained formidable
dimensions The only question is, has II been
full in reland9 As matter Of fact the Fenian Brother
hood does exist in Ireland at ALL Nevertheless 1t Is
denied that the Fenans base much Of their hopes in
the Of their desperate enterprise the existence
Of form Of revolutionary organization in Ireland
1t is not denied that the Irish organization is secret
to which the American society is auxiliary The Amer
leaders that the Irish revolutonists at home
supplies necessary from the American sympath-
zers. That the Irish organization has widely spread
existence is manifest enough by the displays with the
details of which every days newspapers filed !;
yet it Is singular and conclusive evidence OF the
completeness Of the Irish organization that although
four Years on charges n being members or Attempting to
make members Of the conspiracy, IN not single has
the government been able 10 evidence oft guilt Of
the p0rtiea The workings Of the Irish Society are as
ipenetrabIe as the operations of the Greek Heeyas who
by their associations delivered Greece from the
Fenans receive constant Of the Of their
friends Ia Ireland The Irish organization is known by
them as the / r. B., and Its invisible chief is the
acknowledged head OF the entire movement. II was
in response TO the demand Of this great unknown
the call Of Ave dollars per head decreed at the
last Fenian convention No one knows who he is, or
where he is but all believe in his existence II cannot
be said that least far the Irish revouonists
concerned, "a little knowledge is dangerous thing
The rant of knowledge their great safeguard In
the United Irish conspiracy the informer at work al
most from the beginning, and the victims convicted and
punished for completely legion bnt this present
gonsdtion impenetrobls.
FENIANsx A SERIOUS FACT AFTER ALL.
II easy enough TO see the ridiculous side Of all these
known details OF Irish conspiracy but exists as FERROUS
fact for all that Whafa may become hoso will end soho
can telR
Who Were the Fenianss
Irish tradition says that the Fenians ancient
militia or standing army, employed only home
vice for protecting the coasts from invasion Each Of
the four PROVINCES says the tradition had its band that
Of Lenster, which Fionn and his family belonged,
being called the Clanna Baosgne. This militia is said TO
have been paid by The king, beted on the people in the
winter but to have lived ~ the summer by the chase
these supposed to have been the qualifications OF
a Fcnian Every soldier required TO that,
without regard TO her fortune he would choose wife
for her virtue her and her good mannes that
he would offer violence TO a woman that as far
he could he would relieve the poor and that ho would
refuse TO fight nine men Of any other nation. No
person could be received into the service unless his
father mother and all his relatives gave security
that none of them should revenge his death upon the
person who might say him, but that they would leave
the matter to his fellow soldiers The youth himself
must be well acquainted with the twelve books OF poetry
master OF Defence prove this he placed In field
of scdge reaching TO his knees having in his hands
target and hazel stick as long AZ mans arm. Nine
experienced soldiers from distance Of nine ridges Of
land hurl their spears at him at once II he
unhurt he admitted, but " wounded he sent off
with n reproach. He must also well and defend
himself when in 6ght 10 try his activity he made to
through wood, having start OF trees breadth,
the whole Of the Fenans pursuing him II Re was over.
slugg ish and unskul fight with honor among such
valiant troops Also he must havea strong arm, and be
able TO hold his weapon steadily. Also, when he ran
through a wood in chase his hair should not come
united; II II did he rejected, He must DO so swift
by standing upon IT. able also 10 leap over
a tree as high as his forehead, and TO stoop
under tree that lower than bis knees
without stopping Iessening his speed he must
be able thorn of his foot Finally he must
take oath OF fidelity. The Rev Geotry Heating, who
wrote history Of Erin In tho year 1890 gravely says
80 long as those terms OF admission were exactly
insisted upon the militia OF ireland were an invinciblc
defence TO their country and terror TO rebels at home
a.d nsllM Mrrp had claim Enu -