The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-06-15

| ment was confined to showing what Fenianism
had thus far done Gall OF which is known to our
readers,) and in warmly urging those who had
either refused to assist the enterprise at ALL or
had only partially done so. to arouse them
selves and heartily espouse it. The statement
concluded as follows: England tell us that
Fenianism is not failure, and we will believe
our enemy sooner than the men OF our race,
| and who have shown their patriotism only
| in their doubts, and even in denunoiation of
our enterprise. Fenianism is a success, cries
out our hurt and wounded adversary. Fenian-
ism is o failure, simpers its pretended friends.
Patriot Irlshmen, leave it to you which OF
the two is more likely to have given the cor
rect decision, the cold and indifferent friend,
| or the bitter enemy smartipg under the lash
| OF defeat? I need not ask. Fenianism has
been great success, and it is for us to make
it greater, complete success In the full
| achievement of Irish Independence"
At the conclusion Of the reading, the General
| thanked the audience for their kind attention
and begged to be excused for any awkwardness
that might have been apparent in his reading,
saying that he was soldier, had led soldiers
life and was at home in the field, but not on
| the platform. he was not q speaker and only
| spoke through necessity-only because he saw
that this was the only way to arouse his
ccuntrymen an bring them to the point which
the English people would only recognlze-the
point Of the bayonet t8
| Ipredlct that very shortly, although there
is not much appearance Of it now, the Irish
ctizens OF Charleston will be fully aroused to
\ the merits of the Fenian cause, and every one
will be ither in active communication with the
Fenian head centres or be in the feld battling
with their bretheren in the grand old cause OF
Ireland's liberty.
| In February, 1885, few Fcnians assembled
in Pittsburg, Penn, and determined to invade
Canada, from the United States. And, by the
way. I'll inset right here the obj cotton so often
urged that we had no right to invade Canada,
because her people had never interfered with
us. ! admit that they never interfe1ed with
u.s. Neither have the masses OF the people of
England, whom consider more abject slaves
than we're the negroes in South Carolina ten
years ago, and would gladly aid them in
throwing off the yoke Of their tyrants.: L con-
tend that wherever the English flag floats we
nave right to go and pull it down
and smite those who stand ready to de-
fend it. The flag is the representative Of
| England's tyranny, which for the last seven
hundred years has oppressed our beloved coun-
try, and caused thousands upon thousands OF
her citizens to die OF starvation. We have q
right to tear down that flag wherever it floats,
and to trample it in the dust. And besides. in
Canada the people claim to be the subjects of
Great Britain, and those whom we met in our
brush there, in 1866. and mads scamper, had
rallied to support that emblem OF tyranny and
called themselves the Queens Own-if they
bad not run so fast, they would have been Our
| Own.
AS l have said, we determined in February,
1885, to invade Canada. Then we had not one
cent in the treasury, no muskets and no mill.
tary stores. We invaded Canada with o small
force-the remainder were prevented by the
United States from going over. Had that Iirst
! party been thoroughly successful, nothing
would have prevented thousands from rushing
! over and joining their compatriots. In proof
OF my statement I call your attention to the
report OF General Meade, of the United States
Army, to the President in May. 1866. in which
| E,n staten that 4l4s.1.-x---..-.--1--.:.
bers thirty-seven thousand, the finest men
ever saw"
The speaker again called the attention of the
audience to the beneficial results the Fenians
had caused-had made England grant Ireland
| rights never before listened to; had system
! and enlisted the sympathies Of the civilized
world to the sufferings and wrongs of oppress-
ed Ireland; and concluded with another earn
est appeal to his hearers to bestir themselves
in behalf of Fenianism, which, as he asserted,
would exist as long as Ireland had wrong to
be redressed, and would be disorganized when
the green flag fioated in the free air OF the free
old Emerald Isle.
In the speakers remarks about Canada,
(the capture Of which by the Fenians. he ar
gued, would be q fatal blow to the commerce OF
England by fitting out privateers to prey upon
it, and this would occasion q suspension Of
manufacturing establishments. throwing out
of femployment thousands who would engage in
bread riots. and demand and make ENGLAND
grant to Ireland the liberty her sons battled
for,) he said that there was much talk among
the Southern people about the Irish having
fought on the side OF the oppressora Of the
South, depriving her Of the very rights which
the Fenians were now urged to con-
| tend for in their own country.
Said the General: 'sIt is we'll known
that the Irsh are true to the people they live
! among" The Irish living North fought as
zealously in the Union ranks-where fought
| myself-aa did the Irishmen for the ssLost
Cause" 1t the North had it's Corcoran, the
South had it's gallant Pat Cleburne. Had
there been more Irish men in the Southern
army there would have been more fighting, for
you know "where an hishman is there is
aghting."
At the conclusion Of the Generals address,
the audience applsuded him heartily and quiet
| ~ retired.
We are fully aware that In the above report
We have only given Q general outline OF the
| Generaps speech, which was frequently ap-
L ~. rS>z : .