Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-01-04
Is STEPHENS A HUMRUG >


country a man who had escaped in very
mysterious manner from the prison at
Dublin, Ireland, where he had been con
fined upon a charge Of completely in the
Fenian movement, and who attached to
his name the cabalistic letters &C. o. J.
r., which were explained to mean Cen
trail Organizer Of the Irish Republic %
BY what authority he assumed this title
we do not know Doubts were enter
tanned and expressed as to Mr. Stephens
authority to speak and act for the Fe-
mans of Ireland, and it was mooted about
that he was a spy for the British govern
ment, and his mysterious escape from
prison and from Ireland was pointed to
as confirmation that all was not right 1t
became necessary for Mr. Stephens to
meet these suspicious of the Fenians in
this country, and he was equal to the
task, for he did it in such a plausible
manner as to repTess, if he did not quiet
the fears Of lrishmen whose whole sym
pathies were enlisted in behalf Of the in
dependence Of their native land Time
passed on, and a suspicion seized hold of
many lrishmen that Mr. Stephens efforts
were not put forth so much in behalf Of
ireland az of himself This he met as
plausibly as he had that Of being Brit
ish spy. He simply wanted the material
TO set the revolution in motion, and in his
speeches in New York he declared sub
stantially, "If ! do not open the war in
Ireland before the close Of the present
year, 1S66) call me a humbug and
rascal This was the spirit Of his
speeches, and the declaration was made
with such apparent sincerity that many
persons unconnected with the Fenian
movement listed to hear the thunders
of rebellion echoed from Ireland amid
the throes Of the dying year But instead
the Atlantic cable flashed the announce
ment from Ireland that Gen Millen,
President of the Fenian Military Council
of the Green Isle, has been denouncing
Mr. James Stephens, C. o l. r., not only
as a "humbug" but a rascal
What has become Of Central Organizer
Stephens seems q mystery The New /
York Express Of the Goth ult says: F.,
Il" Since the last visit Of our reporter at |
the Stephens headquarters in this CITY, it |
has undergone a very great change. Num-
bers Of men are no longer 20 be found con-
yersing in groups, either in the passage or
Offices. The old familiar faces have van
ished, and those now IN charge appear 10
he all strangers, with one or two excep-
lions. The truth is, the men have all gone
10 Ireland, 20 be prepared for the fight,
which, they say, is to commence within
Ten days after theclose Of the present year.
But it seems there are grave suspicious
that Mr. James Stephens, c q. /. r., will
not turn up in ireland within ten days
after the close of the year The New
\ ork Sun, which has all along been an
earnest advocate of the Feniaus and
their cause, says in its issue Of Dec 81
ID Il has been hinted-more than limited
hat the Chief Organizer is not in Ire
and, hut that he is in New York under
IN assumed name and that he lives in
luxurious retirement up town, on the
proceeds Of his industrious lahors for the
'ause Of Irish liberty Il has been re
ported, also, that the Chief Organizer has
NJ along been devoting his time 20 organi-
ing a nice bank account Whatever
nay have become Of Stephens. there is
reason TO fear that the sequel will show
hat he played an artGul game with the |
'enians in this country, and has filed his !
,urse from the hard earnings of his 100.
countrymen, leaving them only
he poor consolation Of measuring him ,
" his own standard. q humbug and a !
ascal