New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-10-29
.yDrEw JOHNSON AND TIRE FENlANs.

danger Of Irish rebellion will be met by the severeSe
punishment on the part Of the Home Government IL
will make terrible examples of these unfortunate mon
found guilty Of share in the invasion oil Conada-h
will hang them as warnings to all Irishmen vino dare
fight for the independence of thor country. And
even if Mr. Stephens should moi keep his promise any
as,ne,t Fenian movement. either in Ireland or
America will doubtless be answered by execution OF
Irish patriots.
Many Irishmen doubted the success oil The Fchlan
invasion of Canada foreseeing that even had the re-
nsn organization sufficient strength OF ITSELF II was
likely in the end to come in conflict with the neptrai
" laws Of the United States. But The majority Of the
Feniaas, fresh from tie Union ranks anticipated no
interference AMI is simply the truth to say that this
idea was encouraged by the Government. The Fenlan
movement has sad history; trcachery has kept pace
with ia hopes, and undone its triumphs and that
treachery has not been only in its own ranks. IL
Lynch and Mcmahon are hanged-a re fear they
will be-Andreg Johnson Of AL men, wil! be rospon-
sible for theic deaths.
The Fenian movement began before the war ended.
bat it did not assume importance until after Andrew
johnson became President. lie never, b. act or
word, discouraged il. but permitted i 70 grow and
ripon, til what was -siHslly no more than aecrc'
society revealed itself an army. Then, when Tho
British Government anIiouLy awaited the blow ard
Canada trcmbled in fea-, Andrew johnson received
Fenian delegations a, tho Wh.io House. aud IN
carefully guarded language understood 70 mean FOR
moro than IL oxprossed talked absractc1s about h.s
sympathy for all oppressed nations al bis particular
interest in unhappy Ireland. Behind the Fenans was
the Irish vote end behind the Irish vote the Prcs!den
tis succession II would not do for him % say hon
ostly that tho invasion Of Canada WAS mis'sSe;
that the neutrality laws which England had
eylded during the war were still binding
on tho Cn.tei States. The temptation 90
Aater false hopes sud palter With tie earnest enihl
siasmo brave men wastoo strong 90 be resisted and
Andrew johnson yielded. No doubt he thought this
talk Of fighting for the freedom OF Ireland merely
the boast and buster Of hot-hesdod Ir,hmeu, ard
would end in words only. lie did not know that
theoe men. right or wrong in their Interpretation Of
international lass. were desperately in earnest, snd
that what to him was The nero infrcment
OF political ambition. was 10 them the
hottest Of Causes The fcniAu dologliioY'
which waited rpon him len bis WsNr.e
inspired with new ardor. His SoTds vtre
quoted in secro, meetings and used a. arguments to
recruit the Fcnlan army and replenish IL ireasarr
John Mitchell deliberately defed his power and in
June, iS6i was arrested sud imprisoned IN Fortress
Monroe. BIT be did moi remain long in ihe custody
OF the Ug,ed States. His arrest was tho subject 81
discussion in every Fenan circle and delegates
appointed 10 ask his release OF tho President Al The
earnest request Of the Fenian leaders made upon the
express ground that his services were essential 10
their cause, Andrew johnson set Mitchell free Great
was the exuliation that followed this act and there
was not an Irshman who had not the night TO believe
that Mr.. johnson approved their plans. Thus he de-
liberatcly and consistently encouraged the whole
movement, and under his supposed protection the
Irish threat ct last became Irish blow, and sud
denly the country was startled BY the report that an
Irish army had crossed the frontier and that all Can
ada was in arms 10 resist them.
The Irish army invaded Canada flushed with the
faith that Andrew johnson would notintefere. They
believed that he would arsTer British demands ior
the ec.oFcement Of tho neutrality laws vita the
british Interpretation, and the precedent OF British
ports opened to rebel cruisers and rebel guns sup
Piled by British srsenals. They expected he would
answer the Alabama and the Florida with Montreal
and Quebec They asked no other help-not man
or a gun-they simply trusted that this man, who
from first TO last had never said one word against their
dear cause, but had uttered many that seemed to
favor it. would do nothing against them. Thus their
leaders have declared aud il this belief that gave
the Fenian movement its strength. Had they known
what Andrew johnson would do, when their
hour Of trial came, an enterprise so foolhardy
as the invasion OF Canada would never have been
attempted. Enthusiastic as the Irish were, they
would have measured their imperfect strength
against the combined power of Great Britain and the
United States Andrew johnson could have prevented
the whole movement by one honest word. Had he
even limited his intentions the army would never
have been organized to fight on American soil, the
Inflated expedition into Canada would never have
been undertaken, lives Of brave men would not have
been vainly lost, and Lynch and Mcmahon would not
be felons in British cell. But he let the Irishmen
in America 20 on with their plans, till the moment
when they thought victory was in their grasp-whst
then did be dol
He crushed them with the proclamation of June 8.
Five days after they had secured footnod in Canada,
and were hurying up troops, while even the colored
men In Philadelphia had caught the fire, and offered
TO send men to the 'front.' Andrew johnson ordered
Gen. Meade to call out the land and naval forces Of
the United States TO crush this unlawful enterprise.
American soldiers who had fought side by side with
Irish soldiers in the war for the Union, unwillingy
confronted them as foes. The zeal with which the
invaders were pursued by the United States,
exceeded that shown by the Canadians. Canada
reioiced at this unexpected reinforcement and
left the defense of her frontier TO her offcious
ally. BY Andrew Johnson's orders arms aud am.
muntioD were seized, Fenian bsttalions cap.
tured or driven back and Gen. Sweeney and Presi-
dent Roberts were arrested This sudden unexpected
hlou fall with cYDshnp force The Eanian vnovament