The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-04-26

They Issue an Address to the Friends OF Irish
Freedom.

To the Irish People If the United States:
FELLOW COUNTRYMEN AS we, the
und rslgned, have consented to take
charg. Of 1.-THE Skirmishipg Fund.-" il
is perhaps proper that we should say 4
few words to our countrymen rega"dinA
our views and intentions as to its mans
agem-nt. And, first, it is proper for us
to state that Mr.. Ford and Mr.. Clancy
have handed over to Us every dollar
subscribed, and that on careful examina>
tioa Of the several bonds, bank-bOoks,
vouchers. etc, placed in our hands, we
find the accounts perfectly correct.
Not long since. il was widely and con.
stantly Asserted by open enemies and
weak or pretended friends OF the cause
OF Ireland, that the Irish people OF Amer
lea had So completely lost / in tire
inley lity OF Irish patriots, hat they wOu d
no longer entru5t the exclusive control
Of any considerable sum of money, for
the iur,herance of Irish independence,
to The honor of any Irishman or set IF
Irishmeh living. This injurious asser-
ton w/it tar to create among our peo-
Die W i want of confidence OF which i
40 ned the existence. 1t was, indeed,
cunning device in the interest of Eug-
land to assert that the Irish people here
would not trust even the men who had
stood in the breach for Ireland, and to
lnslnutte that those men were not worthy
of being trusted. To scatter through the
national ranks the seeds OF suspicion and
} distrust has ever been one OF Enyland's
chief means Of TIC htening her hold upon
Ireland.
But the utter falsehood of this auda-
cious calumny, Il calunny alike injuri-
GUS TO the general body OF Irish Ameri
cans and to the individuals whose glory
it has of late years been to serve and
suffer for Ireland and her cause, has
happily within the last twelve months
been proved to demonstration. One
) Of us, O'Donovan Rosa, boldly and sud.
denly assumes the responsibility OF cal
ling on the people OF Ilish race through
$ out the Union to raise fund and place
!, it in his hands, in order that a series O
blows might be presently dealt against
: the interests and power Of England A,
Q once our people all over the Union re
q sponded to his call. Thousands OF do
g lars We're +, lily p ured in. and TO-
5 day the fund nearly amounts to the un
: OF $4,000. This result alone. when VIZ
8 consider the depression OF the times
7. speaks volumes. Who Can any longel
q say that Irishmen in America lack faitf
!. in the Irish causeo Who can now deny
q that they have sufficient Of generous con
e 6dence to trust their money to the hands
e OF men whose integrity and patriotism
;. have been tried aud proved?
e But, since the "Skirmishng" projec
n was first announced, circumstances hav,
It greatly altered. Larger prospects have
,. day by day untOlded themselves TO on
IS hopes. Great events and changes hav
e taken place In the political world. Rus
70 fla and Turkey are equally resolute /
z light she inevitable fight. the one strik
70 ing TOR empire. the other Tor existence
Is The rest oil the great powers of Europ
III will be drawn by an irresistible fore
Il Into the arena England above all
Is whether she ike it or not, must dra,
Ct her sword once more, or leanly comics
herself a third class power. Size is TO
a. proud of the past to yield her high plac
A. without a blow. She must first be beate
"a to her knees
Is .England's difficulty" then has a
In but come; in other words ssIrelan,i's O,
(, poltunity." Is Ireland prepared to seiz
y, that opportunity? Must the comm
N chance Of freedom pass away unprofit.
e, like others We have seen in our ow
ne days, not to speak OF former ageso Ma
ey tie God of Justice forbid and avert sur
III misfortune.
AT In view of the altered circumstanc
a. Of the time, big with tate to us ~
ne ours we propose to enlarge the has
40 OF 1.-The Skirmishing Fund.-" establish,
as by Rrss ,.andfoi the plans it was intend,
OK TO further. We propose forthwith
w create q especial National fund" to =
'rf tie work OF II siand's deliverance.
ds Action, some may think has be.
ur postponed too Icing. Be this as it ma
DO we are determined to lose - little furt
- er time as possible. ere we furnish o
I'm countrymen with practical results OF q
ne work. But blow must be followed
OF hv h1ows Unhesitalinxly then wo !.