Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1870-07-01
The Plan Of the renian Campaign.

The Fenian General Donally. in his re-
marks at the reunion of the % Regiment
on Friday evening, made the first official
statement, SO far as we are aware, of the
plan of the late Fenian raid on Canada.
1t was, in brief, to cross the Canada line at
| Franklin with 1900 men on Tuesday, to oc-
cupy position, hold it on the defensive,
compelling the Canadians to attack them or
leave them unmOlested in the mean time to
march force to the railroad, seize a train,
and surprise St. Johns by railroad. The
same operation was to have been undertaken
from Derby, and General Donally expressed
his conviction that if their men had been on
hand they should certainly have taken St.
Johns and Richmond on the Grand Trunk.
With so much Of success TO start with, he
believed the entire body of Irish Americans
able to bear arms, would have rushed to re-
inforce them, and they would have taken
Canada The scheme failed, in his opinion,
because, instead of 1900 men, less than 100
were on hand at the time set for the inva-
sion. The attack on Eccles Hill, he said,
failed because the men behaved badly. At
the time he attributed this to cowardice
but on reflection he had come to the conclu-
sion that the men were disheartened by the
fewness Of their numbers and by the thought
that if captured they would probably be
hung, and that their motive was the natural
instinct Of selfprotection.
1t Is hardly necessary to point out the ut
ter folly and recklessness Of this plan.
Countries like Canada are not taken by
mobs. The instinct of self preservation and
dislike Of the gailows, are pretty strong feel
ings in most men, and are Fundamental Oh
stacles in the way Of the success Of any such
unlawful and desperate undertaking. II the
Fenians had succeeded in crossing the line
and taking position, they would not have
held it against an attack. They did not hold
for ten minutes the position they took at
Trout River, though they were on the de-
iensive, and had forced the Canadians to at
tack them in their chosen position. A single
torn up rail would have upset the railroad
foray on ST. Johns. If It. Johns and Rich
mond and Huntington had been occupied,
the Irish Americans Of the States would not
have rushed to reinforce them, first because
Of the instinct Of self preservation, second F.
because the United States government would f.
not have permitted them, and third because
Of the insuliciency of means of transport. .
They would have been for the most part .
without arms, or organization, or commits .
slriat, if they had gone and the more that .
went the worse they would have been off, .
after they got there.
General Donally also undertook to answer /
tie common objection brought against the
Fcniln operations on Canada, that they
could not help the cause Of Ireland. He
owned in effect that they could not. He
said that the Canadian people had done the
Irish no wrong. The invasion, be said, was
not intended to injure the Canadians. 1t
was a simple attack against British power
With that power be declared that he and
other Irishmen had a lifelong score to settle,
and that they had simply undertaken to
strike it at the nearest accessible point. In
other words the motive was as destitute Of
reason, as the scheme was of wisdom. We
cannot refrain our surprise that really in
-eligent and honest men, like Donailv. should
nave been concerned in this business. We hope
hey have learned useful lesson and that
hey see clearly. now, that the best service they
AN do their countrymen abroad and iu this
.5untry. Is refuse TO countenance or listen
o, any plano proposition looking towards
epetition Of the Fenian folly.