Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-12-20
FREE FIGHT AMONG The FENIANs.

FREE FIGHT AMONG TIE FENIANS.
If it were not that two or three matters OF
a serious nature are involved in it, the fuss
among the official Fenians would be very
funny Here We have a body OF men who
have set up all the machinery of civil gov
ernment on the soil of the United States,
either to control the political affairs OF
people three thousand miles away under
another government or else to make war
for the liberation of Ireland by the utter,
ance of discordant noises after the fashion OF
the Chinese. We have, from time to time,
given brief accounts of the progress OF the
discord prevailing at the Fenian capitol In
New ork first, the denunciatlon OF Pres
ident o Mahoney by the Senate for issuing
bonds without authority, and declaring SAID
bonds to be worthless; next, the response
| of O. Mahoney denouncing the Senators as
'factionists, instigated by corrupt motives,
and now we have the rejoinder of the Sen
ate in the impeachment, trial, conviction
and deposition of their late Chief; and last
| ly, the defiant appeal of y Mahony to the
Fenian brotherhood of the United States,
backed by the Fenian Circles of New York,
and the calling of new Congress to meet
on the I'd of January. The charges and
specifications on which o 'Mahony was tired
set forth that, he had refused to communi-
cate with the Senate as enjoined by the Con-
stitution he has kept from them the books
and accounts of the Secretary OF the Treas
ury; he has usurped an Office for which he
draws Sl200 a year after he was rejected by
the Senate; he has divulged the secrets of
the brotherhood; he has been guilty OF
waste and extravaganza in taking house
for his official residence at $4,000 year.
and paying for it a year and half in ad-
vance ; he has made intiammatory speech
es and finally, he has refused to pay over
to the Secretary Of Var moneys arpropfl-
ated for the use Of has Department. Such
are the charges and the ostentatious parade
of them. and the exhibition Of Secretaries
Eof the Treasury and War, and the sitting of
the Senate rs high Court of impeachment
would bc ludicrous enough if it were not as
we have said for the serious aspects OF the
affair 1t will be observed that the last item
in the list of charges above given is about
moneys refused to the Secretary of War to
use in his Department What those uses
are is stated by President O. Mahoney him
self, with singular frankness in an open con-
yersation. He said that General Sweeney
lone of our volunteer Generals) who appears
to be Secretary of War, wanted him 70 Ma
honey) to pay over to him Sweeney $50,
600. without vouchers for the purcf ase of
supplies to put troops in the field. This
is rather grave matter, and we are unable
to see how the Government at Washington
can avoid taking notice of it: These facts
and enthusiastic gentlemen do not seem to
g be aware that the United States have laws
on this subject which punish infractions OF
them by heavy fines and Imprisonment.
Another grave aspect of the matter is,
that the poor Irish people of this country
appear to have made large contributions to
the Fenian cause out of their hard earnings,
which is not only being used for unlaWfui
purposes, but is being wasted by their lead
ers in wild projects, luxurious living and
private specuiations. Let US name few OF
the disclosures. There are $27. 900 for the
rent of house, $4,000 for extravagant fur
niture, $5O,0 asked to supply troops in
speculations, aud $3.50, 900 said to have been
loaned to some newspaper Some of these
sums may be overstated, but they are all
given upon authority of O. Mahoney him
self. 1t is cruel shame that the poor,
hard working Irish people of this country
should have their earnings taken from them
for such scandalous purposes. We trust
their eyes will be opened by this faction
fight among their leaders, both as to the
waste of their money and the unlawful pur,,
noses to which it is to be put in the United
L States.
S Tn the detailed account of the difficulties
l.
5 of having sent instructions over to Ireland
for Mr.. Stevens, the Fenian Head Centre
there, who has just escaped from Dublin
Prison By this he at once connects the
Fenian operations here with the conspiracy
there, compromising his friends before the
laws of this country, and even Stephens
e himself What cause would be safe in the
$ hands of so imprudent man?
$ Thus poor Ireland has her welfare taken
in hand by parcel of visionary and II
their own accounts of each other. be true,
mercenaryl men; and thus the day of bel
!, liberation is put off. The struggle for her
Il liberty among the Fenian chiefs has degen,
T eaated into miserable squabble of which
e the possession of the money is the begin.
ming and the end.
: Ninety mine out of every one hundred pa
pers cordially approve of the President
message. The exceptions are as insignIfi-
cant in character as they are in numbers,
: OIL boJono r,onora1lv tr. tho or,t a nd ont reb