The New York herald., 1870-04-20
THE FIGHTING FENIANs.
Assembling Of tho 0'Neill Congress Yesterday
A Private Session What was Discussed
and the Probability Of Canadian
Raid Winnipeg to be Assisted.

The O'Nei'l-Fenan Congress met yesterday, al
noon, at Masonic Hall, but the session was
strictly private one ana no person not du'y ac'
credited as q good man and true to the Congress
was allowed admission. There was during the
entire day IN the railways leading 10 the room
where the deliberations were held and IN the streets
adjoining the building, quite large crowd OF Inc
sympatnzers with the O'Nelll faction, and spec.
ulation as to the dolngs OF the Congress was rife
among them. IL Is SAID that there was plentiful
sprinkng OF Bllish spies IN every group OF men
VINO had assembled about the pace VINO ex
ertei their utmost In an inarecs wav to buy up
some needy memher OF the Congress, from waom
they might be able To obtain such information az
might lead to the tnwarirg Of the designs OF O,Nei
ihis much can be said abou: the dolngs VI the
Congress- and 1t comes Immediately from one
OF tue mem )ers. who, in not telling what
the result OF the discussions OF yesterday eruoon
was, does not feel that he Is violating his oath in
stating wnat the discussions were ABOUT The most
important subject discussed, he says was tue Fro
preiy OF making
ARAD INTO CANADA AT ONCE
There were those OF the Congress VINO conteuded
that TINS would be altogether ioDhardy, lnasmucn
as lac eXchequer quite wnat iJ gnf to ue.
aid that without tue sinews OF war the raid would
be an extremely isasrous one 10 the enians.
General o'Neill however, or ratner, his trends who
represent MS views argued that as soon IA tue great
body OF the Brotherhood had bee me aware that
Canada was TO be the objective point o a speedy In
vasion money would De forthcoming from all quar-
,ers The maslerly inactivityh which the Senate had
seen lit 10 plunge the brotherhood INTO Tor years
the cause tnat had put an end TO tne usual now
OF monev lnlo the treasury; but the patriotic splft
OF the lovers OF Old Ireland was not ead yet N tue
hearts Of men, VINO would contrioute to war Tor
it5 deliverance wnen tney were once c0uvincel ina
WAR TO THE KNIFE
TO ensue. IL IL understood mat many OF the
leaders beeve-and several OF them spoke of the
subject during tue session-that the Fenans coud
do more harm to the British and reap more D,nent
themselves by attacking the expedition that is
10 set out for the kcd River country tnan
by making an attempt to cross canadian borders
at the 81. Lawrence. Il Is q fact t1at one OF the
members advocated not only TINS action on the part
OF the brotherhood, bur conended that the various
circ should pick out their best men and send them
out to Winnipeg, where under the bin er OF hiel
they could make II Doth the battlefield OF Fennnisin
and the Winnipeglsts az the same time. H. he SAID.
Rel would bv this means triumph, as he had no
doubt he would, hundreds would railv round hun
VINO were not neutral or secretly against him, While
1t would
ExULr THE FENIAN HEART
the world over to such aegtee that the members
OF the Brotherhood would swa IN IN thousands TO
join the vetors IN an attempt 10 carry the war INTO
the very heart OF the enemy's stronghods Tnis
was the great opportunity OF the Fenilns and 1t
should not be allowed 10 pass. This gent enan also
remarked that while the Canadian government
would thus have tDer hands Iul IN the Red River
country and be compelled TO constantly reinforce
the first instruments OF troops they would send out,
strong body OF Fenians could give the stay at
home" Canadians nearer the United States all the
nghting they desired II not more.
General ONelll contends that the Brotherhood
now mas some 10000 stand OF arms OIL as good
quality as ever were manufactured IN the United
States. These arms, his friends say, have lately
been distributed to the various committees whose
duty 1t is to look after tnelr proper distribution
and they have all safely reached their destination,
although where that Is the brotherhood Will not
divulge. for obvious reasons.
General O'Nell il III dead earnest and "means
mischief" as one OF the Canadian spies yesterday
remarked to our reporte and IL Is thought that the
men from the United Statesswil be on tneir way to
the battle ground" before Thursday nigat. One uf
the members OF the Congress, In dOdglng our re-
rann
papers need not bother their heads ABOUT
the movement now, for they would hear
stirring news from 1t before the end OF the week.
This would lead to the beef tnat the Canadian bOr-
der after all Is to be visited before long,
In conclusion, IL may Oe mentioned that the friends
OF :he Senate say that the Congress decide on
onward movement at once they Will support
It, and not allow differences OF opinion rs to MINOR
details OF action to interfere vita the success o the