The New York herald., 1877-02-07
O BI L u A r Y.
JOHN o'MAHoNY.


ness The direct cause of his death enema of the
lungs causing surocatiou, his efforts 10 struggle
with which be underwent terrible agony
John O'Mahony was born In 1915, In The neighbor.
hood OF Mitchelstown. county Cork. The earlier por-
ton OF bis lie was spent In the same locality Kib
cheny, all which had long been in the pos
session OF his ancestors. and where his iamiiy-an
ancient ana respectable one-had resided for many
generations. exercising sort OF craftsmanship over the
surrounding peasantry. This property Of Kibcheny
was originally worth about sl,ooo year.
but the extravaganza some members OF
the family reduced n 10 sne yearly value Of
$500 This relic OF hts paiernai property o'Mahony
Inherited, his elder brother. Thomas, having died
early; but when he became outlaw, to save /, from
forfeiture, he was obliged 10 convey Il TO his sister,
who now holds t. The members OF the o'Mahony
family had always been remarkable during the period
OF the penal laws for strenuousy taking tho side OF
the people against the Earis OF Kingston, who were
then noted for their oppressive conduct His father
ana unccs were also deeply implicated In the insur-
rection OF 0s and escaped execution only by the sud-
den death OF thoir chief enemy, Lord Kingsborough
who was moving heaven and earth for their dcstruc
tion.
EARLY DAYS.
John O'Mahony and his brother both received their
preliminary education at Hamlin's school, In Middle.
ton, county Cork and after this proceeded together to
Dublin, where John attended lectures Mt Trinity Col
lege for several years. though he finally lett II without
obtaining degree. HIS early manhood was spent at
the place OF his nativity, where the iamy's feud with
tho Kngstous and their hereditary championship of
the pcasanry seem TO have early infected HIM with
strong unge OF national sentiment. He attended
many OF the great repeal meetings which O'Councli
held IN Cork and Tpperary in the Of the years
lS43 ana 1874, and became struck with lively
admiration for the Great Agitator who also happened
to DO q toleraby intimate friend OF his father But
such tame measures as O'Conneii advocated soon
failed 10 satisfy The eagerness OF young O'Mahony So
In ls4s, hc took up some OF The doctrines OF the
"Youug lretand' party and forthwith became one OF
the most daring and active partisans Of lillian Smith
O'Bren In the attempt which hc made to stir up an
insurrection in the counties OF Tppcrary aud Water
ford
o'Bricns scheme proved a failure, but O'slahony
was true Corkonian and IN three months after hiss
FIRST defeat he found al the head OF several thou
sand men, burning police barracks. lie gave much
trouble to the BRUSH government, having succeeded
In rousing up the people OF his native county by hs
own personal exertons But the enterprise failed
and 0'Mahony. with large price HIS head as a
breadth escapes In This attempt he kept the field or
over week, and there be little doubt bur that be
alone, but also OF many Of the local gentry hc seems
TO have failed chiefly for want of material olcer his
followers.
JOHN mitchell AND o'MAuoxY.
In 1856 John Mitchell effected his cscapc from prison.
~ Van Dieman's Land, and made hts way to New
York. O'Mahony immediately left Paris and fastened
to JOIN him. In 1856 these two tho head Of
considerable body OF Irish nationalists In New York,
which went under tho name OF the Enmct Monu-
mcnt Association. This was the period OF the Cr.
mean war; and these Two did their best to use tho
for lreands benefit by inducing the Czar to
send an armamcnt TO Ireland to aid the people IN an
insurrcctonary effort Some hopes OF we're
beld out to them, but the Treaty OF Paris coming in
March OF 1885, blasted all their chances that dlrcc.
ton.
AS A TRANSLATOR
should here be noticed that, in the course OF the
year 1851 O'siahony translated Keatings .Hisory OF
Ireland illustrating the text with coplous and
ho SnloV Voda l.
Irish language and archaeology great entitle
him place in the foremost ranks Of Celtic scholar.
ship
during tho period Of the war O'Mahony spared
some timc and labor from Irish politics TO bcstow IN
coran began the levy OF the wcll known Corcoran
Legion, In 1868, O'Mahony did his friend
pSa %San ,SO .en IN % recruits as, for
accompanied u for some time, and happened
10 DO present on the occasion when It's COMMANDER
shot tho istarred MAYOR KimbaL In 1894 too
D Mahony raised the Ninety ninth regiment OF militia
tor New York state, In return for which was
appointed TO command IT, with the rank oi colonel
He in actual light, but did duty at the head
OF this regimen. Tor several months guarding prison
Returning 10 the Chicago Convention, we lind that
this assembly declared the American branch OF the
Fenian movement an entirely distinct organization
connected only by ties OF Animation with tho Irish con.
spiracy, and that O'MnhOny officer OF
equal rank. dignity and Importance with stephens The
Conventions Of Cincinnati and Philadelphia, held re-
spocvey In 1864 and 1855, each 10 ind Fenians in
more 1ourshng condition Tho latter OF these con-
isfaction was shown regarding the manner In which
the organization had been managed, and party op-
posed to O'Mahony maoc some attempts against his
power. The matter compromised. O'Mahony
continued at the head OF the under the
new title OF President, aud "senate" and Cabinet
were appointed 10 advise and assist him. This
Convention was held in October, and, after
IT, things proepered that the Fenians came to
consider their then headquarters Duane street as
too small. and SO the Monat Mansion. No 80 East Sew
enteenth street, hired became the executive
mansion and central office OF the brotherhood This
house they continued hold from the OF 1865 TIL
the summer OF 1866, and this interval he consid
cred as halcyon period the history OF Fcnansm
and the only really successful Of O'Mahonys lie
Al this limo he was at the hcad OF many thon.
sands OF men we'll organized. As their leader he was
In daily receipt OF large sums OF money, and above ALL
he saw some practical work being dono, since multi
tudcs ri men we're learning military tactics be ready
In OF fight for lrelnd's frccdom large quantities
OF arms were being purchased for transmission Ire
Stephens over 100 officers, trained American battle
helds, had been sent to take commands Irish
TROUBLE IN THE SOCIETY
But these days were short Discussions sprung up
10 the Fenan ranks, and, always the case disaster
followed close on dissonson la December. 1865
Colonel wiiam X. Roberts. NJ. ). Scanlon and many
Other prominent members Of the "brotberhood' quar-
relied With OMahony. and as they road to rec
onciliation seeded from his government and cstab
llshcd that section known tho "Senalo party" OF
the Fcnians and winch was later Identified with
the Ridgeway and othcr Canadian raids
To crush she scccders obtain due support his
own authority OMnhony hnstcncd to cali new Con
vention. This met al Clinton Hall, New York. during
the nrst week OF January, 1866 IL entirely ndorsod
OMahony, though II rather thought that tho |
money OF the brotherhood had been 100 |
ireraiy disburscd. IL continued him leader
ship, under tho revived title OF "Icad Gen. |
tra" and pronounced a sentence Of expulsion the
would bu secedcrs Tue organization underwent very
htile change from this until May Of the same year.
when John O'Mahony allowed himself 10 be persuaded
into compliance in the Campo Bcllo hasco. rhs aud
the arrival OF stephens the month in New
York, combined TO lessen OMahony's influence so far
that he concluded 10 resign his head ccntrcshp and
retire into private life
AZ EDITOR
His resignation accepted. aud there now follows
period OF SIX years In which only hear OF him as
the editor o The iris Fsopt> and delivering lee.
ture on the history OF Feniansm at Cooper Union. IN
the beginning OF 1872 tic Inter IN tins year how
ever, he again called 10 the leadership OF the Fc-
mans by convention held NJ Military Hall IN this
city which gave HIM the ttIe and authority OF sEx.
ecutive Scegeary." This Office abolished in 1878
by convsntion held at the Northern Hotel aud that