Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-04-16
THE FENIAN MOVEMENT.
Large Mass Meeting in Naughton
HaII-Speeches of Messrs. woOdman
aud DeLany-Earnest Appeals, En-.
thusiasm, Etc. W


thusiasm, Etc. M
Pursuant to previous notice, a largemass
meeting in the interest of the Fenian
Brotherhood was held at Naughton Hall In
this city on Saturday evening, April IA.
The hall was filed to its full capacity
Many ladies were present. The meeting
was called to order by John Madigan, Cen
ter of the Circle, on whose motion Col.'F.
p. Cook was appointed President and
John Flynn, Secretary. The President
then introduced Messrs. @. G. Woodman' OF
Massachusetts, and EFT. DeLany, of this
city, as the speakers of the evening. MIR,
Woodman proceeded to address the meet
ing.
He first dwelt on the Fenian movement.
1t is working, sound and straight-for-
ward movement, and not that impracti-
cable humbug that its enemies have tried
to make it appear. There are 100000 mem-
bers in the Fenian Brotherhood in Ireland.
and 100000 in the Ssterhood. Outside
of Ireland, the Irish population in the rest
of the world is about 100000. This
might seem strange when the Irish popu-
lation at home Is only about one-third as
large. 1t is owing to thu great tide of emf
grafton constantly flowing out from her
borders, and to the enterprise and thrift OF
her sons in other lands. Massachusetts, af-
fords an example of the same sort. She
has only 1,300000 people at home, and yet
she can reckon IA 100000 of her children
abroad.
The l7,OO0,OO0 of Irish people outside of
Ireland can give it at least 3,500000 fight
ing men. In the civilized world at large,
there are not less than fifty, probably sixty,
millions of people, who would rejoice in
Irish freedom and independence. There
are Fenians in the British army and navy.
England can count upon no allies in war
to prolong her tyranny and oppression in
Ireland. If the Fenian movement is only Il
humbug, why are the courts of Europe
agitated about it, and why has England
doubled her garrisons in Ireland and block
AIDED the whole coast of the Island?
/ Never since the Norman conquest, has
Ireland had so good an opportunity as now
to strike for freedom. She has the sympa-
thy of the United States, which already ri
walls and deties the colossal power OF Great
Britain. AT the close of the American Rev
olution In 1882, Ireland made a successful
attempt to achieve her independence. She
12IO00 men and gained for herself free
parliament, which she maintained for
eighteen years. By bribery and corruption,
by restrictions upon Irish trade and man
ufactures, and by suspension of the habeas
corpus act and other seventies, the British
government effected in 1901 the legislative
union of Great Britain and Ireland, by
which the latter became an appendage of
the former, and the Irish parliament was
merged in that of Great Britain.
Since that time, Irish liberty has had no
real existence, and ever since Ireland has
been the subject of wrong and oppression.
She has been crushed by the iron heel of
tyranny, and her material interests sacri-
feed for the benefit of British lords and
capitalists. This oppression has produced
emigration from her shores, which has had
one good etfect-that of developing the
Irish people. But as Ireland is capable of
maintaining as dense a population as any
country in the world, this emigration has
been mainly induced by oppression, and
not from want of room at home. But for
English oppression and cruelty, this large
assembly of ladies and gentlemen would
not have been in this Hall tonight, but in
their own pleasant homes among the noun
tains and wales of their native land.
In the movement for Irish freedom, no
son of Ireland has a right to stand neutral.
If he believes the movement wrong, 1t Is
his duty to strive, by all the means in his
power, to stop the effusion of blood; but if,
on the other hand, he believes it to be
right, it is his duty to himself, his country
and his God, to give all the aid and encOur-
agementin his power to swell the ranks of
the Fenian Brotherhood.
Mr.. Woodman, who had been frequently
interrupted by loud cheers, retired amid
prolonged applause, and was succeeded by
Mr.. DeLany. 5ra
Mr.. DeLany said: That in this age of
the world it was unnecessary to argue the
right of every people to govern themselves
The triumphant march of democratic
ideas has established the principle that the
powers of every just Government depend
upon and have their origin in the consent
of the governed. The Irish people are q
separate and distinct race, and have moth
ing in common with England. During
seven hundred years of the most Infamous
persecution, they have not, for moment,
lost their individuality as people, but
cherished, and still do cherish, the hope of
restoring their downtrOdden country to its
pristine glory amongst the nations of the
earth. England never has, and never can,
subdue the Irish people; chronic state of
rebellion has always existed in Ireland
since the advent of English misIule. And
now, when Freedom strikes the shackles
from Russia's serfs, making men OF those
who yes erday were slaves when the Cau-
casian race deem it in accordance with the
spirit Of the age to extend the love of free
dom, at the price of their own blood and
treasure, to those of another race and color
on this continent it would be strange in
deed if the Irish people did not make an
effort to throw off the hated yoke of En-
gland. They are making this effort, and
under auspices so favorable that the least
sanguine can discern amidst the darkness
and gloom, the bright dawning of freedom.
Uprisings in Ireland have heretofore been
unsuccessful, principally because the peo-
pie were not united, and calculated upon
foreign aid and assistance. They had not
learned that nations are selfish and act only
from interested motives. But the bitter
experience of the past has dispelled many
Illusions and taught us lesson for the tu
ture. Ireland and the Irish have at length
fully realized the force and truth of the fact
that tgE -.rg--.T
.,. :'They who would be free,
f.. THEMSELVES must strike the blow"
For revolution to be successful the peo4
pie must be united Ireland's weakness
ever has been the dissensions, 1euds and
iealousies existing among her own people.
Herein is the cause, the real cause, of Ire
lands degradation. BY means of a domes-
tic feud England first gained a foothold in
4111 lf I.s. Ia, hn