The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1865-08-05
ST. LOFTS, JULY I, ISOo.
B DoRAY KILLIAN, ESQ.,:
THE FENIAS MOVEMENT.

CS. LOUIS, 1000.
My DEAR SIR You request me 10 express
thy opinion on the object, means and expedi
ency oi the Eeulan Brotherhood. In comply.
ing with your wish, shall make no serret of
my opposition to the real OF supposed secrecy
OF the society III its primary formation Eor
shall L omit to maintain that | should still be
opposed To the organization If that objection
had not been removed by fuller and later
knowledge. Hence, In whatever NAV saw,
cannot be suspected of prejudice or parti,
ZInship-an unreaSonIng auiagon!sm or u
bind ;dmirItion. To me the brotherhood is
Neither school of inhdeI cut-throats nor a
league oi whiie-rUbed patriots. but an open.
str.,ig ntfurward combination, composed OF
Hleu OF average respectatility, sincerity and
patr. IN. in,ent on d noble cause, and
usiug tLeir best intelligence to attain i.
" hai is that cause? Irish Independence
Nh Al are the means? Moral AID physical
intervention. Is intervention OF either kind,
or notn kinds, legitimate ur practica BILE .
The right to independence is conceded by the
co,nn' consent of mankind. The doubt
aid difficulty begin Wien come to consi /
er the method aud Pracricabi!ity Of insuriug
it The captive should be unloosed and her
shackIes Dr ken; is the Fcnian Society to
BE- The liJera- -Or, ans, has the timc come tor
liberation?
| have no hesitation in saying that the
FemIan Brotherhood, IN It's pIeseut Develop
Elcu:. Is IiI. largest, ia; best organized, th e
most cOsmoPOiltah, and, 10 my mIad, the
most pratenty managed efforts OF irish Ma
tiunalistS since the days ui the vulunteers-l
had almost said SINCE the Kilkenny Comfed-
er.,rIun. Batting the Inevitable controversies
oil its early home rgarS, and the more recent
i,i-judged entanglement with certain mem bers
OF the Hierarchy. 1t can Justly claim to have
steered comparatively clear of the rocks OH
which so many like movements have foun
dered, and to have reached a condition Of ac
k1owledged safety ami popularity. Strong
III numbers, stronger in decipline, strongest
In self approving re. ], it combines within Its
wide euibracc neary all the active forces o
the wyrld-divided Gaels. In its ranks nay
be found eminent examples OF the tieuts that
dignity, the grtces that sdOrn, and the hard
handed courage that carries into execution a
polI,i, al prl2 nme Over ali. 1t posse rs
cnIef and ieai:r, mau who Is second o
none in probIty Of character, III services and
sutferIngs, Iii persistent purposes, IL
ii organizing talents aad intellectual &C
cJmpi.shments. Ii / were ASKED t. select
from tue catalogue of my nc iuaintances one
who pre- emlIieritly C mblned the instructive
knowledge OF national character. the deep
zen, ration Of our race tor the true aud the
sacred, with the ardor of the soldier, the self
denyIag disposition o: the true publicst. and
the general adap,ability ,.hich begets anG
preserves the confidence OF ass Iciates,
should poiI.t to John y O'Mahoney. You have
then, to begin with numbers, zeal. organ!za
tun aud leading such rs have seidt ID been
eIu, He'd aud never excelled; can they be fit.
J., aud hopefully used?
The Iigh oI any social class in this coun
try to .Irgan ze for the purpose OF precip ia
ti.rg revolution abroad, without the kuo Wedge
cJn est and approval OF the Federal Govern
ni-lt, is subject to grave question Indeed
il Is geI orally agreed that there is such
right Fer better or worse, whatever oul
wishes or feelings may be, we are bound by
our cItIzeuship to consider all nations on
terms OF amily and intercourse with the
United States as friends, and all otherwise
as enemies. The case is changed, however
when revolution is actually inaugurated By
persons not citizens OF the Uul ed States -
Our government is bound To recognize the
state OF belligerency. The de fatto govern
ment aSsaIled, and tn. accredited organ OF
tie revolutionary movement, stand to us III
the relation ex-aquo Following English
precedent, our citizens can sci. to or trade
with either or both parti IS, according to thelI
sympathies. Th sc who wish to eypatrate
themselves for the purpose of active partlci.
parion IN the struggle, have the right to d.
50, it being Immaterial whether they land at
Liverpool or Cork Those who desire to en-.
gage in the par,izanship of ocean warfare
can hoist the insurgent flag, standing the
chances OF success or failure. In 81 ort the
citizens of the United States may do ever,
and all things as individuals in such con
;iugen.y, which British subjects did durin:
our civil war. The Fenian Brotherhood nee,
desire no wider warrant or more forcibl
example.
k.en in advance of an Irish uprising, an
so, ii, class III this country. entertaining ex
tra-uational objects, may, by open organiza
t. n, prepare and labor for an occasion I
subserve them. 1t may properly seek to li
rect ublic opinion in channels calculated :
influence our foreign diplomacy, not becaus
it is class, bur for the hetter reason that
is part and parcel of the constituency to b
effected by the wise or unwise use of The ma
tional influence and authority. They who a.
sist to support the government in peace, an
who share its perils in the bloody arbitrameI
of war, have the same right 10 influence II
foreign dealing as to change its home pei
sonsH-. There is also an urgent America
reason wbV this right becomes duty OF you
Brotherhood. If the self respect o. our cOuI
try stands IN greatest peril from one caus
q An another, It is on account of a powertr
d steadily increasing A nglcaI influence O
seaboard. Backed by the whole CON
me-cial interest Of the East, and kept
eSuptenance by mi udlin philanthrophy an