The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1882-05-10
THE LAND LEAGUE.
Meeting OF the State League at the
Grand Hotel.

II rett of this city, was selected as President
of the meeting. and Paul Fitzgerald, of
Rushville, Secretary. A Committee on
Plans, consisting of Messrs. Smelser, Harris,
Egan and Carroll, was appointed, after
winch the Convention adjourned for dinner.
At 2: 80 o'clock sthe Convention reassem-
| bled and the Committee on Plans reported
recommending that the State organization
be formed by the election of a President,
ce.President, Secretary and Treasurer.
The report was adopted, after with an cleo
ton of officers was held, which resulted as
J follows: State President, H. r. Harris of
Michigan City; Vice President, Paul Fitz-
gerald, of Nashville; Secretary, Ed +. Hart,
indianapolis; Treasurer, James L. bowling,
indianapolis. The above officers are to be
known as the Executive Committee.
A Committee on Constitution and BY
Laws was then appointed as follows: James
Smelser, Richmond John Carroll, Rushville,
and 2. II. McNellis, of indianapolis. This
Committee will draft a constitution and by
laws. which will be presented to the next
| Sta<a Convention, to be held in this city
within the next ninety days, after the ad-
journment of the temporary organization.
| Speeches were then made by Messrs.
Bowling, Harris, Hart and Smelser. Mr..
Smelser's remarks were very well timed and
met with loud applause. He spoke as fol-
| lows:
| GENTLEMEN OF THE CoNvENTIoE-The main
question and cornerstone on which the Land
| League of both Ireland and America rests and is
| building a beautiful system of thought that is
destined TO rule the world is not political. but
social. Nor Is il in any particular very exclusive
tons and touches benefcially the interest of suf
| fering humanity everywhere. IL is but a part Of
the great struggle which ever has been since man
Il in his forward movement stepped the
| boundary line of barbarism into the progressive
civilization of to-day; Il struggle between the few
| AID the many; between the rich and poor: be-
| tween and hptyQQn the tOi1-
ing, struggling masses who labor and
create wealth, and the monopolistic class
/ who, manipulate, consume and destroy it. 1t is
a conflict between barbarism and civilization and
between despOtiSm and liberty.
OUR DUTY
Ireland out from the depths of her humiliation
and poverty; Ireland, marvel of patience under
suffering; without any kind OF parallel In the
worlds history, is appealing to US for sympathy
and help and for appreciation aud recognition.
She Is pointing us backward through the mists of
centuries to her once happy, peaceful and prosper
oushomes-homes that were the abode of refine
ment and culture, of luxury and elegance-when
q the land, as God and nature intended.
she points us TO a time when she was the very
Asmagh, with its 1900 students and Cashel and
LismOre vieing with il in renown. She points TO
her population of millions. teeming with life and
activity; 10 her heroes and statesmen, her orators
aud patriots; to her manufactures and indus
tries, to her Parliament aad generous laws-all
crowned, adorned and beautihed by loving
and this good? They live IN memory, buried
down deep in the hearts of long
suffering Sorely-tried and afflicted people,
and the answer comes TO us in sad and frghtfCl
echo, that startles and almost bewilders the i'm
aGinatiOn that her lands have been wantonly and
ruthlessly cOnfiscated by the English Crown, 70
satisfy ambition aud lust for power aud all The
beser passions of man; that her places of learning
have been destroyed by the tyranrs hand; that
Armagh, CaShel and LiSmOre have been forgotten,
and Nation Of people reduced TO illteracy; that
her population has been reduced by unwilling
exile and fearfully decimated by artificial famine;
that her heroes and patriots have become martyrs
TO the cause of liberty that her manufactures and
industries have been psralyZed by an internal
penal code, and that her Christianity has
been made to wither and suffer under most
cruel taxation. These are not, however, all, nor
the worst of all. For 200 years Ireland has been
despOiled of her industry by a diabolical system
OF rack rents and taxes. to the amount OF billions
Of dollars so that to-day she presents spectacle
of squalor and poverty which, considering the
natural intelligence, morality, Industry and
domestic virtues of her people, is without a
parallel anywhere.
HER EFFORT TO Rise.
And now when Ireland, inspired with the
Hottest hope, Rctuated by the purest love
of liberty. and with a patience and repose
truly sublime, asks for ner natural inner
itance in the land, for the equal reward of her
labor-when she asks that the 500 GOO of her peo-
pie may exchange the unfit, unhealthy mud
novel for the pleasant cottage home; when she
asks that her children may be educated to honor
and usefulness. and when she asks that she may
take her true place among the Natlons-She is
met by direct insult The heavily mailed hand
of English despOtism and England's peculiar re-
sources of civilization" aie made to confront her
The policy toward Ireland IS that of might
against right; it is the policy of blood and the
dungeon, coercion and eviction, ana
police and army. These are her
favorite methods for its repression aud subjuga-
ton. To successfully combat and overcome
these false social forces shonld inaugurate and
work TO bring about an age of greater enllght-
ment and truer social thought-an age OF right.
fraternity and equality; of universal intelligence,
universal industry, and universal liberty and re
ward. To this end, and with this grand consum-
nation of good in view, trust that the Land
League organization, whether local, County, |
Stale or National will direct its united, its best
and its untiring energies. Let the Irish people OF
America, and all those who love justice, equality
and freedom, concentrate their effort through |
compact organization, and send to Ireland ample
material aid to support them In their determined
resistance against British oppression. but more es-
pecialy TO send them constant everflOwing stream
of light that will literally flood is and wash out
the drift of prejudice aud all veneration for
past usages and customs have SAID. and Will
repeat it here that could the Irish World" be
placed by every hearth-side, and on every dirt
floor in Ireland for few months it would be
equal TO a proclamation of emancipation TO that
enslaved. over-taxed and rack rented people.
thought of the Nineteenth Century, ana
flood America too. Spread the light every
where. sow the good seed broadcast early In
grand truths OF the Land League
leap forth from thousand steam
pruning presses ana Ifll us lulCk as
autumn leaves around the homes of every labor
ing man OH the continent. 1t is not enough TO
tell the world, mere speculative philosophy, of
mans 'inalienable rights" but 1t needs TO be
taught and a thousand times, IL necessary, that
landlordism in any form is brigandism that IL is
worse even than that That IL is murder; that IL |
is deep crime against humanity, and sin against
benevolent God who delights in the happiness OF !
all His creatures Ii needs to be taught, in the |
beautiful language of Bishop Nulty, that |
the land of a country belongs III justice |
and right to the. people OF that country"
1t needs 10 be taught that labor is God-giyen and
honorable; that the laborer entitled 10 the full
fruits OF his industry, and that fair and eouaitble
exchange of the products of industry is the only
legitimate business of properly OrgapZed society
and, la abbrevation it needs to learn the lesson,
so fearfully impressed on the world In its past, |
that every form and phase OF monopoly whether !
il be political, social intellectual, is but rank
est despotism, and IN direct opposition to govern
vidual ana that IL ought to be, in this advanced |
age of hight and love. trodden under foot as IN |
insult TO mans reason and to humanity
And now, gentlemen of the Convention, let us
remember Ireland'S cOnfscatioR her exiled emil |
dren her millions perishing by famine; and |
her widows by thousands who have been turned |
out from under the humble home roof to suffer, |
and sometimes to die; and let us remember her
poverty and suffering through
SEVEN HUNDRED
long, weary years, ana her sublime patience, and !
her grand moral pose before the English Crown, |
whose drum beats are heard around the world" |
and whose political power is almost omnipotent |
and cOnSecratfng ourselves anew 10 this high and
impeTious duty, and the. cause of Ireland, let us
swear by our manhood and that Heaven which |
ahnV