The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-01-15
The FenIan Folly.

mlSleO Oy designing, lrreS pOnS1DIe men,
and contributed of their substance so
lavishly to insane enterprises. Already
do they'begin to show evidences OF their
anger and disappointment, and the
temper now displayed toward Stephens
IS probably but a foretaste of the feel
ing which they will eventually come TO
entertain toward the great majority of
the Feuian leaders. Naturally confid-
ing and easily led, the Irish are, on the
other hand. fmplacable and untorgiy-
ing when discovering that they have
been deceived and toyed with. The
Head Centre has, therefore, pursued a
course which others may do we'll to fol-
low, in disappearing from public view
and keeping well ont of the way of the
Eenian rank and file.
There is something supremely ridicu-
lous and Quixotic in the manner in
which this whole Fenian business has
been carried on from the start, and
were it not for the bloodshed and ex-
pense it has occasioned, we all could
unite in hearty laugh over the pro-
longed farce But while the O'Maho-
nys, Killians, and Stephenses have been
strutting about in borrowed plumes,
the poor day labOrers and servant girls
have been sacrificing their hard-earned
wages, and the Fenian rank and file
have many of them been atoning in
Canadian confinement for the folIy of
their 4tdueES- w ME In0 nave
been filling their exchequers and riot
ing in Union Square palaces, the latter
have been contributing their money
and time, and some their lives. to the
mad schemes set afloat.
From the first the Fenian leaders
have presented their followers with lit
tie more than proclamations and
prophecies. They have relied mainly
upon auguries to inspire the Milesian
population, while the failure OF every
prediction has seemingly encouraged
them to put forth fresh ones. A year
ago this month the american pubIic''
were told "that before ten weeks there
twill be somewhere else an Irish
Republic existing on the face OF the
earth, with flag, an army, port of
entry, navy of privateers, and the
tacit announcement both OF France
and the United States" The utterer
of this prophecy added, "a word to the
wise is suft1cienti the quidnuncs will
mot have to tarTy long for the fpliil.
"ment of all we herein forsshadow.'' -
This was certainly explicit enough, and
would doubtless have won over 'Ie
most skeptical had nos ppalic ,en
SO often fooled by Predictir. T. II : sim
liar nature from higher sou. A. IL
was, the Celtic population were nsryed
to increased efforts. The demand for
Fenian bonds ard Head Centre medals
increased, and Irish braves prepared to
buckle on their armor and enlist in said
army and navy. Ten weeks, lending
on the first of APril,) and many more
passed, but a survey of the whole "face
of the earth" failed TO discover the re-
public in question. A House of Repre-
sentatives in New York, two scows
upon Lake Erie and seven hundred
ragged warriors about Fort Erie COM
prised the sum total of the Irish Repub-
lie navy and army. One would have
thought the results attending the Cana
dian invasion would have opened the
eyes softheIrish, and revealed to them the
folly of their course. Not so, however.
Instead of abandoning their schemes
they simply enlarged them, 10 embrace
a programme still more difficult to
prosecute. The arrival of Stephens in
this country diverted attention from
the Provinces to the Green Isle beyond
the sea, and the rallying cry now became
ION to Ireland" There was something
inspiring about the idea of liberia
ting the mother country from the iron
heel of the oppresSor. 1t might involve
more expenditure of blood and treasure
than the conquest of the Canadas, but
the attempt could not do otherwise than
succeed. when Stephens himself was to
lead The great G. o. I. r. was accor-
dinghy received as the future deliverer,
the William of Orange who would mar
shal the scattered Celts under his ban
ner, and proceed back to the "gem of
the sea" with a force capable of over
coming all opposition, and driving the
red coats helter skelter into the chan
mel. Crowds, therefore, gathered To
welcome this hero as he swung around
the various circles. Wallets and old
stockings again opened at his bidding.
The Fenians saw before them the found
er OF their order, the great Mogul him
self, and fell down in reverence and adj
nFpfinn a nFiUila1n In
sentinel at his door, or ride upon his
carriage box. They sneeZed when he
took snuff and blew their nasal organs
whenever he whipped out his handker-
chief. Every pavement upon which he
trod became to them another Blarney
Stone. If he ate his steak raw or well
done, or drank his Bourbon pure or
adulterated, the fact was duly recorded
and made public in the gatherings of
Irish admirers, while Stephens in turn
discoCrsed to them like prince and
general, and why should he not? Had
he not Travelled the whole of Ireland
over, from the Giants Causeway to
Cape Clear, and thus become enabled to
speak intelligently concerning the tenn
per of the mother country! Had he not
exhibited his ability to plan and exc
cute by escaping from an English prison
closely guarded, and successfully cross
ing the briny deep2 Why, then, should
lis nedEcES hOL DtIAeNt Ulul Wnen ne as
sured them that he had but to STAMP
upon Irish soil and a hundred thous-
and armed warriors would spring to
the surface; that he had but TO blow
one blast upon his bugle and British
regiments would melt away like snow?
Why should their lively imaginations
not picture out great victories by sea
and by land over John Bull, when he
said to them with such an air of conf
dence: "If do not open war in Ireland
'tbefore the close of the present year
'call me a humbug and rascal
The new year has come and Stephens
progress Eastward, that is toward Ire
land, is thus chronicled in a Boston
"phens, the Fenian leader, passed
Through this city in disguise yester-
day. He discovered that persons were
pursuing him, and he finally eluded
them and departed by railroad" After
suddenly disappearing from view and
keeping himself secreted for weeks in
the metropolis, the great C. o. I. r.
turns up as panic-stricken fugitive in
a neighboring city. His followers are
now as eager to lynch him as they were
before to do him honor. The Boston
Fenians are eager to ''cetch him" in
order to visit summary punishment
upon him, and he is now denounced
in the various Circles here as a "swin-
''dler," "a cheat" "a scoundrel'' who
has wound up a career of deception
land fraud in a most ignominious iz-
"Zle." Such is the amusing upshot of
the Stephens furore. The founder of
the Fenian Order has made of with the
funds of the members, and they in turn
| will make way with him if they can
catch the fugitive.