Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-03-23
The Fenians and Irish Liberty.

The Fenans and Irish Liberty.
ireland has had half a dozen incip-
lent rchcIli0ns within the memory OF
its oldest iuhabitaut, All failed to a.
comp,i5h their ostcnsiblc object, yet .
nearly all accomplished something III .
directly for the Irish people, The
hope that the Fcnian rumpus may a.
comp.ish something i'll the same way
is its only rcdecming feature The +.
immediate results must be suffering
and disappointment to the Irish at
home. To our American Irish it is
only a pleasant excitement and they
may a. we'll enrich the leaders with
thcir spare cash as to spend il in some
other ways. The feeling Of sympathy
Win UPPrC>oud I,clouu Is WIN most
OF them Il genuine one. and does cred
1t to them. Ireland Is oppressed. in
many ways; there is no diSputing the
fact. Her people are mostly Catho-
lies. and are Obliged to support the
established church as we'll "a .their
owu; her poor law and educational
systems are unequal and burdens0mc;
her lands are held by nonresident
proprietors and leased at cXtortioHatc
rates to the peasahtry. and in many
ways the Irish are treated like con-
qucrcd subjects, rather than part and
parcel OF tie British people.
Ireland does not need separation
from tbe British government, but equal
rights in the government. Let Eng
land give her equal representation. lit
the Calling burden OF an imposed
church, Improve the land tenure. and
asSinIl.ate the institutions OF Ireland
to those of England; in fact place
irishmen upon equal terms with En-
gliShmcn as citizens, and there will be
no more Fenian or other revolts.
The repeal movement Of Cornell
gained tor Ireland the concession OF
Catholic emancipation. 10y which par
llamcnt was thrown open to the long
/ prescribed sect. Later renewed ari-
tatiOns for repeal cXt0rted from the
| British government Il communication OF
4 Irish titles and the cncumbcrcd cs-
/ tatCS act. Now, on the strength OF
the Fenian agitation The O'Donog-
hue" is demanding in parliament pen
altics for abscntccism of the Irish
landlords, the abolition Of Episcopal
ascendency in Ireland, the expenditure
of the surplus revenue Sin Ireland on
her own public works, and, more i'm
portant than all, a new law of tenant
right, which shall give the farmers of
Ireland a tirmer hold upon the soil
they cultivate. Some or all OF these
things will be conceded, after the pre-
sent furry is sufficiently allayed to
make it appear that England yields
from her own sense of justice and
not from intimidation. For John Bull
is bulldog forever, and will do moth
ing on compulsion.
What proportion of the money col
lcctcd in this country for the deliver
ance Of Ireland will reach the Feni-
ans at home will probably never be
known. How much the Fenan lead
ers mean by their talk of invading
Canada must very soon be evident. =
The natural presumption is that they
are not In earnest, otherwise they
would not make their schemes so pub
he, and thus put the Canadians on
their guard. l. they 90 into Canada,
it will be only as raiders and plunder-
ers, not with any idea of stopping
there or getting permanent possession
at any point. Their object seems to
be to alarm the Canadians and so
make trouble and expense to the Brit
ISll government, and at the same fine
to keep alive the excitement here until
the last dollar that can be had is drawn
into the Fenian treasury. So far as
what the Fenians are doing has a ten
dcncy to compel concessions to the
people of Ireland, success to them.-
80 far as the movement is a swindIe
Tor the benefit of few leaders. q bad
lncS to the spalpeens. -Spria gyfetd
Republican.