The New York herald., 1866-09-26


The FoLLnEs OF FENIANIsM-WHAr DoEs
STEPHENS MEAN s-Mr. Stephens, the organizer
and recognized head OF the Fenian society,
made very singular speech at Jones' Wood
on Monday, which, if taken for what II APP
parently means, presents the movements and
expressed intentions Of the Brotherhood in a
very curious light and leaves il open to tho
suspicion Of having lost whatever common
sense 1t ever enjoyed While admitting indI-
rectly, If we do not misinterpret the tenor OF
his speech, that there are very slim chances Of
success for a present outbreak in Ireland, Mr..
Stephens declares that he is going to that coun-
try Immediately, in pursuance OF promises fire.
quently made, to provoke popular rising.
This he says he will do, first, because he
pledged himself to it, and next because ths
Irish people will certainly fight within ths
year now rapidly drawing to close, whether
he is in Ireland or America. What they ars
going to fight with Mr.. Stephens does not says
Perhaps with the British troops in the garrls IN
towns which is not very likely perhaps witf
a few police, scattered here and there through
out the country Where or under what cir
cumstances the fighting is TO be done we are
left to conjecture; but ii is not difficult TO com
prchend how small chance OF success an un-
armed, undisciplined and unofficered peas
antry-though brave and resolute enough
can command against such military force ~
England holds unfortunate Ireland in subsection
with. According to the allegations Of the Cen
trail Organizer himself the people in Ireland
have been deceived and deserted by the men on
this side Of the Atlantic from whom assistancs
was to have come. Personal wrangling and
political bargaining appear to absorb all the
attention of such leaders az are left. The
" leaders" at the scene of contemplated action
are locked up in jail, and the officers who
went over from this country to marshal tho
people have nearly all run back again, scared
at that weapon which Britain has always found
80 potent for the suppression of conspiracies-
the suppression Of habeas corpus
With all possible desire to SEQ the condition
of Ireland ameliorated, and without ony COM
punctious feelings at all as to the mode of its
accomplishment we cannot conceive what Mr..
Stephens means by threatening an outbreak
which, il not invested with some moral proba-
bility of success, is crime, involving tho
useless shedding Of blood. The Irish in this
country have done their duty gallsntly in
furnishing money and making personal
sacrifice to the Fenian cause, and we trust
that the sensible portion of them viii
discountenance and withhold their aid from
such wild scheme as Mr.. Stephens pro-
poses just now, if he is really sincere in his
warlikc professions John Bright and the In
telligent men who are cooperating with him
will probably succeed in inauguratlng re-
form In the system of government throughout
the whole British islands from which ireland
win reap larger share of benefit than Fenian-
ism can ever bcstow upon her. If the moral
power Of the Irish people can be directed into
this channel they may see "the green above
the red" sooner than many wild dresmer
ima gines.