, 1865-06-08
The London Times on Tie Fensun,

1
Now that America is once more at liberty
for foreign enterprises, We may be excused Il
We cast an anxious look at that mysterious
organization Of Which VIC hayo been so often
reminded during the last four years. It Is
not pleasant to be Informed on respectable
authority that almost every Irtshman In the
United States has joined society pledged to
annex Carada and to lbsrate LELAND at our
very first difference with the government at
Washington, or tac slightest tiff with our In
pcria1 reighbor. Since the organization is
proclaimed to be no secret, and to have
proved valuable auxiliary to the Federal
cause, We might venture to ask a few ques-
1rcnaTation for WAT with this country. T. =
We address ourselves to the New York
.Utrd7d, and, as we have done It The Justice to
insert Its account Of the matter, we claim the
same candor in return. The real fact Is at
once interesting and important. The Irish
ancestors tho secret Of finvisfbllity. Fern seed
is said to possess this virtue, but. as with
mnny other charms, the question Ia how to
use Il. The classical reader will remember
that 1t Was on Carthagenlan, that is, Phmnl-
chm soil: that lady met Hneas, and kindly
invisible, 10 the very presence Of the Queen
and her court. On q previous occasion his
life we believe, had been saved IN much tho
fnme convenient manner. The Now York
Merdfd understates the number, probably from
distrusting the power Of mere organization to
adding a cipher. There are G50,000.
Whether they rub The charm on the soles Of
their feet or take 1t In their whisky, they be-
come Immediately invisible to their next
ucighbors and their own mothcrs and broth
ers. Their arms are equally invisible, as arc
also the horSes, the artillery, the bas5gasse-
50 literally supplied BY their Fenian friends
In the United States. Nobody can form the
least conception Of the splendid military
spectacles to be witnessed On the mountains
aud bogs Of Ireland II one could only see
them. You drive through Connemara, and
only remember to have seen onc old woman
in length Of twenty niles; but there are
hurdfed thousand Fenians nancurering at-
tacking. retreatsng, and performing the incest
cyolutions On all sides Of Tou, Their haYo-
net charges nre terrible, But for breaking
the charm, they would make plrcushion Of
you. The most wonderful Part Of 1t remains
foot, or moistened his throat, ho becomes
two men. His ordinary natural carcass atill
goes On its old work, digging in potatoes,
driving The pigs home, amoking a'pipc, tell
Ing old stories, or reading tho GalnaY Hinli-
eaior or the 1fEraayg Adseeas But his Fe-
charming In line, firing yolleys, and performing
prodleics Of 1aloT and discipline. It is said |
that Il yon challenge them b. blowing q
trumpet Or firing gun, they will Just answer
to show they are there, but will not care to |
do morc, as it Is business, not pleasure, with |
them. This, too, explains what has been |
subscribed by the american Fenians. The I
'.Rcad Center" ''Staie Ccnters." and "Cir- |
Gle Centcrs" tell the an1ions snhscr5b- |
ers that the arms arc ni1 ready to. |
be sent over as soon as q war can be got |
up. The fact is they arc a1ready In Ireland, |
though, for the reasons re bare stated, no.
body has get seen either them or tlel1 bear-
ers, OF Is At I'LL likely to; ses them. The
American Fcnians may take our word that |
their money had not been squandered in the |
salaries Of :" Centrcs," tho maintenance Of |
aae aet h II the e RsT 9orf Sf H eai.ef
NIL shining. and blazing, and thunderiny
away IN The training Of the great army which
Is one day TO camp on the Cusragh. IL nat |
Aldcrshott itself. It Is true We don't see or
hear Il; bnt that Is the wonderful efficacy Of
above, md which constitutes the real |
strength Of Fenianism.