The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1867-05-25
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
Irish Valor VS.. Perseverance.

The Irish people love their native land warmly
faithfully, perhaps; but most of them do not love
her practically. Admittedly martial race-of
the very first ORDER yet no one claim, seeks to
claim, for them front place in the ranks of revo-
luton. Bold, passionate, and honest of intent
yet they are morally pusillanimous, easily down
cast, susceptible toridcule and apt to grow dis.
contented. This gallant Irish nature, which rushes
on danger and death without a coward thought,
quais before moral difficulties. We speak in gen.
eral terms. The trouble in organizing Irishmen is
not in getting them into the ranks, but in keeping
them there. In a time Of much excitement-take
last June for example-they will rally to the field
IN thousands, the prospect of speedy fight gets
them up to fever heat-it always does but to get
them coolly deliberately, unfaterngly, to prepare
for months years for that ight-there is the
great difficulty with the Irish nation This is
what Fenianism has got to do. Not to inspire the
Irish people with military ardor-they have quite
enough of it-but to get them to be REVOLUTION
lists. To educate them up to conspiracy discretion,
and, above all, perseverance. Circles have been
formed by the hundreds-large circles, numbering
hundreds of members, but after the excitement
and novelty died away, they generally simmered
down to fourth of their original strength. Of
course, all of them would be on hand in case of
forward movement, but, in the interval, their SER
vices are lost to Ireland. How this be RENE
died? What is the chief reason of this weak
point in the Irish National organizations? Our OBJ
servaton leads us to believe that, the officers
and members of circles to render their ordinary
meetings attractive in some way, assertions would
be far less frequent. AS it is, most of the men
have inclination to come miles to a weekly meet
ing in country village, unless there is something
to draw them there. Very few circles have adopt
ed a literary plan-national works. journals, etc.,
to induce regular attendance; and naturally the
prefer haunting the saloons, or attending con-
vvial gatherings In the cities, of course, there is
better opportunity of holding men together and
consequently city organizations rarely die out alto
gether. Unfortunately, our young Irishmen
not addicted to literary pursuits and most of the
old Indifferent to literature altogether.
Therefore, not alone in military way, may FEM
anism be of service to Ireland, but also in moral
way. The genius of "young Ireland,' even amid
the ruin of glowing hopes, sheds glory on Irish
National literature. The songs and speeches of
the men of AS fostered the National spirit anew,
and the esprit ofthe Nation accomplished as much
for Irish revolutionary education as did the teach.
ings of Wolfe Tone, and Robert Emmett. Had
there been Moyleneaux and Swift, there had
never been an Irish Protestant patriot; had there
been no Bond and Tone there had never been
Davis or Mitchell and had Davis never sung or
Mitchell written, there had never been
Fenian Brotherhood. The songs of the minstrels
kindled ancient Ireland against the foreigner, and
the harp and sword struck for freedom together.
To-day, National literature is as potent as in the
days gone before 1t alone can bind the Irish peo-
pie to their holy cause; it alone cheer them to
the struggle. May THE IRISH REPUBLIC be one
bond for this great purpose; and we will hope that
i will of ho oil IT,