National Republican., 1880-04-20

turned out in regalin, and upon tho STAGE
which was handsomely decorated By the
American and Irish flags, were seated mum.
bcr of officers of the societies aud leading
1rishmcn. An organization was perfected by
tho election of the following officers of the
meeting; President Dr. Thomas Antisell
aud secretaries, Mr.. Richard Oulahan and
Major John Williams.
DIR. ANTIsELL
upon being introduced, said the meeting was
called for the purpose of discussing one of the
greatest questions that had ever agtatca Ire
land-tho ownership of land. Mr.. ParnelI's
object in coming to this country was 10 cstab
lsh local branches Of tho Land League in this
country. lie was called away ere his mission
was ondod, by tho dissolution Of the British
Parliament, but he earnestly requested that u
branch league should be formed in this locality
The Speaker then read from pam pilot which
had boon circulated throughout the hall, en-
titled The National Land League of Ireland, I"
in which the objects of the league were stated
to bo-
First-To bring about reduction of rack
rents
Sccond--To enable tho industrious occupier5
of small farms to obtain ownership of the soil
which they have mado valuable by their labor,
and upon which they havo TO depend for sub
sistcnce.
The speaker reviewed the land troubles in
ireland, during which ho discussed the past
and present systems of land-holdng. The
means used by England to cripple Irish man.
ulacturcs were also touched upon. in each in
stance the English people complaining that
England was the sufferer by Irclands pros.
perity. lIo said that this was also the case to-
day; whenever anything was attempted in Iro-
land that threatened ElGland's prosperity it
was destroyed.
Thirty thousand landlords rule 5O0O,O0O
Il, nl,,1, . pnn
strong, u larger force than the army
of the United States prior to the
late rebellion. The people had no rights,
and wero ovicted if they did not pay
their rents promptly. Three thousand land.
lords or one-tcnth of tho whole number
of Irish landlords, never visited their
estates and knew nothing of their
tenants. Upwards of $3O,oOO,0OO were
paid over to them yearly by agents. not one
cont of which was ever returned to tho people
from whom it was eXactod. II was to do away
with such iniquity that tho Land League was
organized They now desired TO got the mat
ter before Parliament and have an impartial
hearing, In order to procure the repeal of the
present land laws in Ireland. If England
would grant to the Irish people the right to
own their land after paying for it all trouble
would be avoided. In referring to Home Rule
tho speaker quoted Messrs. Gladstone and
Bright as favorable thereto, the latter in 1869
declaring that tho land of ireland should be
divided among natives rather than held by
aliens. In concluding the speaker said the
time was now favorable for the accomplish
ment of tho purpose for which the Land
League was formed, inasmuch us Mr.. Glad
stone was now Prime Minister.
Letters rogrotting inability to be present
we've read from Senator Logan, of Illinois,
Hon. George c. GOrham and Simon Wolf esq.
A committee on resolutions was then ap-
pointed, and during their absence addresses
were made by Mr. A. NJ. Clapp, Judge O'Con.
nor and others.
REGULATIONS ADOPTED.
The committee on resolutions reported the
following, which were unanimously adopted
WHEREAS, Owing to a succession of military con-
quests extending over several centuries, the soil of
ireland has been wresed by England from tho
hands of its original and rghtful owners, the Irish
people, and held by 10 other title than that of SUI
perlor physical force, and has been pNrceed out
as fcudal rewards to foreign military adventurerS
whose defendants possess the snme as a free git
entaillng them no duties or responsibilities 10
their own tenanry or to the Nation ut large which
are enforced by law; and nrther, by Il series of
cunhsCatons the land has been sub.diYided among
foreigners to the total exclusion OF the native irish
who were not only disabled by cruel penal laws
from owning land but were likowise deprived of
the freedom of religious worship and OF giving any
education whatever to their children; which disa.
bilitio5 existed down to the present century, aud
under the objects of which the mass of tho people
WHEREAS In consequence Of this unjust and
anomalous propriOtorshpo of the soil the bulk Of the
landowners being bound to The Irish people by no
ties Of kindred, national traditions, common Ian
guage or oven by Affiliations of religious worship
and peTsuasion have never shown that interest
In the comfort happiness, education and general
well being of the CuluvatOrs of the soil which Is
indispensable to mutual goodwill and social ad-
vauC6ment but have spent in other lands the
tho country to a constant drain ofits own natural
capital ana inicting on the people the horrors and
miserics Of periodical famine and perpetual poy-
crty With their long train OF calantous couse.
WHEREAS, All escape from this ruinous National
condition has bocn systematically prevented by
greed, IN pursuance OF which English parliamcnts
have prohibited ana suppressed tho nascent art
patriotic iursightol and entGrprising irishnen,
who have repeatedly sought TO emancipate their
Couutrylnen from seridom TO the soil and from
total dependence ON the annual crops by develop,
ing the natural resources OF the country and the in
dustral capacities of the people, the selfish policy
of England thus rendering II imposb bic for Gland
10 acGuIro the manufacturing independence and
mercantile prosperity for which Its internal wealth
and geographical situation eminently nc H. ana
WHEREAS, Tho purpetuutiUn Ol this unnatural
state of Afiuirs 50 nhnicnl 10 peace, contenment
and freedom, aud which Is in It's very
nature CALLING badge OF military conquest which |
no brave and spirited people would willingly wear,
which is in glurlng COnuaNention OF every prncl-
Pile ofputicul economy, which has no sanction in |
equity or natural ustlGe which Is a6herrent to the
and possesses no claim 10 respect submission OF |
obedience except what II derives from mere brute |
force therefore as the sense OF this meeting bo Il
ReSOlued That Wo recognize the inherCntund i'm. |
right OF the people of Ireland TO the
OF the soil Of their country and the
history of Cotempurary Europe and America con. |
clusiyely proves that wide distribution of the |
land among its cultiyatOrs with proprietary rights
therein conduces 70 tho creates! good of the great
est number and effects such diffusion and equall-
Yation of wealth as to extend and strengthen m- |
mensely the popular Interest in the preservation,
stability and credit of thegoycrnmcnts under which |
it exists and tho people Of Ireland, in striving to
obtain such ownership IN the land us John Bright |
and other Liberal statesman ana publicists advO- |
cate for them, arc entitled to tho sympathy and |
support ofthe people otthe United states, TO whom
rs free, enlightened and generous Nation which |
has but recently eXtiugulsh0d many hundreds Of |
millions worth ofproperly In the interests Of hu |
man rights and freedom, the people OF Ireland |
naturally look for aid and encouragement in tho |
pending struggle for the peaceful establishment of
peasant propretOwhip of the soil nude valuable |
by their labor and upon which they have 10 dc.
pend for subsistence,
Rfs0'pCd, That Ireland rs O country which pos.
scssed laws customs and conditions OF society of
distinctive character, not derived from England
on any other noighboring country, and as being
also geographically separated from England as
colnpletey as France on Belgium Is from England
WAS endowed by Nature with the rights and ut
tributes of an independent, SelEgoyemipg country
and, whilo submitting per force TO the political
union with Great Britain, II has an mdelcasiblG
right tO the regulation Ul It's own internal aQulIA in