The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-11-24
The Fenians In ireland.

matters with our English friends in earnest.
Tho Fenians In Ireland.
From the dsclaraAons and movements OF
the Fsnians here one might judge that
there was something In the assurances of
Stephens that there would be some fight
ing done In Ireland before the end of the
year, that u to say within the next thirty
seven days, which are ell that remain Of 1866.
How much or how little, how brief or how
bloody the fight il to be-whethsr sudden
collision with tho British troops and police in
the streets, or . protraeted guerilla warfare in
the mountains and Businesses OF the west and
south Of Ireland. no one, We suppose, except
the designer Of the plan, knows-that ID, II there
DO any plan at oil, which many doubt At tho
various meetings, balls, fail, and 20 forth
which comprise the leading features Of Fenian-
ism In this country just now, it Is repeatedly
alleged that an outbreak in Ireland il posi-
lively tocome or II appears that portion
Of the advanced guard from this side u already
gone, not to Ireland Direct but TO q port on the
Continent, there to be ready for action.
Whether Stephens himself formed one Of the
party Is little mysterious; but assuming him
to be in earnest, it is likely that he did. m
That Fenian or some other revolutionary
agency Is at work in Ireland there can be no
doubt for our cable dispatches Of the latest
date report the seizure Of ~ large quantity Of
arms designed for the use Of the Fenians" on
board.s steamer at Cork, and on the following
day the seizure at the same port Of schooner
ION suspicion Of having Fenian arms ON
board" For such action the British authori-
ties must have good cause, so the question
presents itself, where do the arms come fromi
From America or France, or-ominous even in
the supposition-are they supplied by parties
in England properf II is alleged by the
Fenians in the United States that tho Brother
hood has extensive ramiHcations In England
and Scotland, and recent developments made
in that direction in England 60 to show that
there is color Of much truth Gin the asser-
ton"
Capital is becoming alarmed in Ireland. By
the Atlantic cable we are also informed that
William Dargan, the Irish ''railway king" and
public works contractor, has just suspended
payment, with liabilities amounting to million
Of pounds sterling. Mr.. Dargan having COM
menced life in an humble sphere, his career to
apparently immense wealth, as we'll as bis
vast business undertakings, were Of late years
continually pointed to by the English govern
ment officials and British sympathizeu q af.
fording solid evidence Of what aIrishmen may
accomplish in their own land" what AtAe
Irish can do If freed from political agitaters,'
the "solid resources Of tho country under
English rule,r and as otherwise illustrating
quite number Of Cabinet assertions, infer
ences and specialties Of like nature. Queen
Victoria, during her tour in Ireland some years
since, honored Mr. Dargan by making special
visit to his home, near the place Of his birth,
in rural county, and thus sealed by personal
royal approval the assumed general verdict
that Irish exertion usefully applied bears it's
good fruit in Ireland ~ plentifully as else
where.
Mr.. Dargan is, however, merely cautious,
shrewd speculator, a strictly economical cap
italist and . very farseeing and sensitive
financier. His suspension at the present mo-
ment, therefore, when Ireland Is threatened
with Feuian revolution, il, to say the least,
very remarkable event; for a. all his Under
takings were linked more or less intimately
with government works and government stocks,
il may be safely averred that If the English
system Of rule in Ireland rested on as secure
basis a. heretofore, and II the interests OF the
country were being "rapidly developed" Mr..
Dargsn would now be just as prosperous as in
former years. Employing vast number Of the
laboring classes in almost every part Of the
island, Mr.. Dargan enjoys excellent opportuni-
ties for sscertaining the exact drift of the cur
rent Of popular feeling as well as the public
intent, so that il is not at all unsafe to say that
the sudden winding up Of his affairs by 'sus-
pension" indicates, from his counting room,
that there are symptoms Of movement
towards squaring at an early day the political
and social balances existing between Ireland
and Great Britain.
Recent written sdyices from Ireland repre-
sent the country rs being in state Of apparent
political stagnation, disturbed only for few
days by John Bright's Dublin speeches, which
were the commencement Of an agitation
not relished by the masses Of the people-ths
mechanics, laborer and peasantry, who are
all Fenisns-but acceptable to the middle
class and the Catholic clergy, who are opposed
to them. The anxiety everywhere displayed
by the British authorities about the political
sentiments Of the army, and the constant
removal from the country of regiments in
which the least taiat Of disloyalty ID suspected,
would show that the government Is not satisfied
that the stsgnation h real Fenisnism in Ire