, 1866-06-22
FENIAN STEPHENS.

prison, has occupied considerable space in The
new papers of late.
On the 18th be had "graud reception" at
Jones Wood, when be made a speech. He was
introduced BY Mr.. Sutton, Chairman Of the Ex-
eeutive Committee, after which be addressed
the Assembly Of about c, 900 persons.
The commencement of the present Fepiau
movement in ireland and his connection there
WIN, AR Stephens represented as fnllows-
"sfleoes Of Ireland. dnrine the close of De-
| cen per, 1901, young lrishman called at my
residence 10 Dublin, bringing me letter from
the late Michael Doheny, and others. He had
also an oral communication to make, and all
was to tue effect that an organization had been
established in America, Of which Michael DOH
eny was the appointed Chief, and | was request
ed to commence an organization and conduct it
in Ireland. At that time the cause of Ireland
| was so low in The world-at home as well as
abrosd-that few men of any brain or position
could be got to take part in it. They did not
know the people. The Irish people themselves
as ever-were sound" (Cheers.)
Mr.. Stephens then, having returned to the
Green Isle, after seven years exile, devoted a
year TO travelling all over the country, 5000
miles on foot, to ascertain the feelings of the
people and find out what could be done. He
! then reported to America that be would under
take to organize force of 10, 900 men in Ire
land at once, on condition, first, that he should
have absolute direction of the organization, and
next that he should be supplied with ESQ or
tlOO mouth for the first three months, after
which time, aud the 10000 men organized,
somebody should be sent to America to make
proposals.
A trusty friend was sent with this answer,
| who went to America, and returned March 7th
1858, having found no cognate organization on
this continent, but thirty or forty devoted men,
who were trying to keep the Irish feeling alive
/ Il ~
and endorsed bis actions in Ireland.
| . On the 18th of the same month Stephens re-
ceived geo from America and the organization
| of the conspiracy was commenced. One of the
! essential conditions of enberShip was the tax
ing of an oath, which Stephens considered ne
| cessary, from his experience in movements in
4S under Smith 0 Brien. He further considered
| it necessary to train the members TO distinguish
between the spiritual and temporal power of
! priests and clergymen, to obey them as spirtu-
al aids, but in temporal matters to regard them
Simply citizens. No force in Ireland could
| be relied on without this training.
After the first Installment, three months passed
without remittance. Trusty friend was again
| sent to America to see where the line was down.
| He returned and reported that his report was
received in New York, but the American Irish
found difficulty in scraping up the "rint."
| After that, Stephens received money in small
!
ted in america to the caule, the Irish at home
contributed ten.
In September of that year, haring organized
more than ten times the number Of men Origi-
nally intended, in spite of unfulflled promises,
Stephens deemed it his duty to visit America,
| and commence the organization here.
In the same month he Landed in New York,
| where he wGs c,uIroGie! with n.gny difficulties.
| After three ru""ti,, tc.ty. he was slowed to go
| to work aud Col Corc"rtu was the i-st man he
| "organized' in America. Thence Stephens
! travelled fer month through the States, laying
the foundation Of the organization. He had no
| time to collect funds, arms, &c. All these were
| promised, however, ''but they never came"
| During the frat si1 years Of the organization
Gl50O was received in Ireland from America.
| Returning to New York, he WAS invested with
the supreme control OF the organization at home
and abroad, wherever the Irish race could be
| found.
| Now be had come to America to establish
| harmony. He exhorted to couciliation and one
ness of effort and denounced all who would not
work for union. BE had been infinitely more
tried by friends than enemies. The men who
called themselves his friends, the friends of Ire
! land, had proved bitterer enemies to him than
British tyranny. He was sorry that the broth
erhood in Ireland had not depended wholly on
! their own resources, that they ever looked to
| America for anything, for he found here to-day
an amount of dstrust, caiumuy, and misrepre-
| sentation which had made the organization COM
/ paratively failure.
| In 1863 there remained three courses to pur-
sue-the first to send for help from America
| Though with little confidence, he sent one of his
best men to America, with a statement of affairs
| but the result of his mission was failure. He
was now condemned to 20 years servitude.
The next course was to establish the Irish
People Newspaper, which was done in face of
many difficulties While struggling with this
enterprise, H. Clarence Mccarthy arrived in Ire
land from Chicago, who announced the organi-
cation in America on the point of collapse, and
that nothing but the presence here of Stephens
could save it from ruin.
| Stephens accordingly visited America again,
promising to send to Ireland Gl00 when he ar
rived in New York, GlO0 when he arrived in
Chicago, and El 900 as soon possible, which
was all sent, but no more could be got.
| The American organization at that time num-
| bered 10 900 men, which was too small force
But when be reached St, Louis he began to see
| his way and that all they required could be re
allied They did not want many men, but they
wanted war material.
In 1864 the Fenian force in Ireland was Co..
900 strong, and Stephens engaged that If Eng
| land went to war on the Danish question, the
Fenians would take the field and they would
whether or no in 1865, as the people were tired
| OF waiting. Inc ROOu news ObePNeue oiOusuN
from America infused new energy into the broth
erhood in Erin.
About that time Stephens asked for $1,000
per month for three months, and G2,5OO per
month for four mopths.
The two first instalments were received, but
no more. delegation arrived 10 Ireland in
stead to investigate, who reported perfectly sat-
is6ed and send the money. 1t was agreed that
the bonds of the Isish Republic should be issued
on the return of the delegation. Mr.. Meehan,
one of the delegates, lost some documents, which
was the cause of the arrests
Ammunitions of war were then being brought
into the country, and the British government
could not prevent it, aud they could not to-day
Anything could be done If you had the money
The organization was stronger in Ireland to-day
than ever. It numbered at the close Of last year
200, 900 men, so, 900 of them were thoroughly
drilled, many of whom had smelled POWDER
100, 900 were partially drilled, the other 100
not drilled In Ireland 100000 men could be
concentrated at four or Eve given points IN "a
hours, whereas it would take England 80 or 40
days to concentrate 4O, 900 men in ireland, and
three months to concentrate 10000, ana sne
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