The Irish republic. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1867-18??, 1867-06-08

divide the house upon the quesuon. ~. 4L1o &c a.
The motion that the petition DC i"i0 p0 WY ~ - WV
house then agreed TO-
Tho flowin is a COPY of the petition which presented
tn the House of Commons Friday evening by Mr. Bright:
To the Honorable the of Commons of Great Britain
and Ireland Parliament assembled, the humble petition OF
the undersigned citizens of England showetn:-
Thatyour petitioners whilst disappearing of the movement
known as Fenanism in far is secret movement into
which men admitted by oaths of secrecy whereas all com
bnaons should open and ready to submit their OBJECTS TO
free discussion whilst blaming the outbreak as resort
tn violence where had not been that violence the
only remaining of attaining the end proposed and
whilst therefore, hoping that order be restored TO ireland
by the udicious of the power OF the Engsn 0oVer
ment; -:
tory Ireland has been the history first of imperfect con
quest and long neglect then of war and OF he
Irish people, legal injustice and harsh repression OF The
disturbances caused by the said injustice;
Remembering also that the actual Government OF Ireland
is the of conquered by the conquero as is
shown b the maintenance against the undoubted wishes OF the
bulk nation of the Irish Church Establishment and by
the of system of land laws variance with the
traditions and feelings of the Irish peoples that In Short 1t is
government in the interest of Ireland but of England
or rather of the State Church and territorial arocracy of
England;
That by the present distribution of political power the Irish
nation is unable to make its wishes adequately felt by the
stronger country which it is bound that in the consequent
apparent hopeessness of remedy for the evils which press
their country honorable hmen may however erroneousy
feel justified resorng force that word there is
legitimate ground for the chronic discomfort of which Fenan
the expression and therefore paaton for the errors of
Fenians;
Your petitioners therefore, pray your honorable house that
it may take such measures it shall judge fit
Firstly the revision of the sentences already
passed on the of great and in the udg
of your petitioners generally excessive and irritating Sc
verify.
"Secondy to provide any that prisoners suffering
the Fenans for political offence shall not during the exc
cuton sentence confined il with prisoners
suffering for offences against the ordinary criminal laws OF their
country.
"Thdly your petitioners Justly alarmed by their recoec
ton atrocities perpeated by the English troops in Ire
land in 1898 as also y the recollection the of the
ito
suggestions of the public and the general tone OF the
wealthy classes with regard the suppression OF rebellion
pray honorable house provide that the utmost modera
tion strict adherence to the laws of fair humane war
fare may incucated the army serving in Ireland
and
"Iasy YOUR petitioners pray the prisoners taken may
be we'll treated before trial. judged and sentenced with
enency consistent with the OF order
the punshments awarded there may be none OF
degrading nature such punhments seem to your petitioners
nappcabe whose cause and whose offence are alike
free from dshopo however misguided they may be to the
special they have in view to the means winch they
have adopted to attain that end
''A And your petitioners will ever pray
This very letter appears in the Edinburgh Scots
man. to whose editor it has been addressed:
EYRE SQUARE, GALWAY May 2, 1857.
SR-Yesterdav in Dublin two Fenians sentenced tt
death on the charge of high One of them re
commended to mercy by the jury Both recommended
mercy by humanity and common sense You Will agree witt
me that disgrace country and epoch that polca
charges however henous should be liable to the extreme pen
alty In the case however, of Irish, American
Irish there special extenuatng circumstances various
weighty. Within the last twenty-five years multitude al
most equal the entire population of Scotland has emigatec
from Ireland to America Almost the enurety OF inns esla
ton has been sesupportng Can the history of the world
produce parallel of peasant kindness generosity anc
unselfshness? Among the millions of Irish in America
there is not solitary who has kind word say of the
government of the old country Is there instance in his
tory of the opinion of Millions loudly and repeatedly express
ed being entirely in the wrong? Some three mons then
or more have of late years Quilted this island million LETT
within the space three years These simple facts are terri
bly, painfully tragaly eloquent But for the wide plains OF
America nothing earthly could have saved this country from
bloody peasants against proprietor Should
we not thankful for what with thanks to ourselves we
have escaped Should be provident against future,
impossible contingencies assure you upon my word OF
honor that the general condition of this country is msrePre
sented in the columns of its own Journalism me
country throughout rife with dsaecon. Personal
loyalty for the Sovereign weak and the deestaon OF Eng