Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-04-25
SECOND EDITION.
WEDNESDAY EVE'Na APRIL IS. 1898
THE IRISHMEN.
He LAND LEAGUES CONVENTION.

TIE LAND LEAGUES CONvENTlON
Tho Opeuing In Philadelphia To-Day-ln
c:dents OF tho ssssion-New York Dole
gates on the Way-Opposition to
tho dynamite farty-Open-
Ing Address.
NEW YORK, April 25.-The great body
of the delegates to the Irish convention ir
Philadelphia began to assemble at thu
Pennsylvania railroad depot as early as
o'clock this morning. The body steadily
increased until O'Clock at which hour thu
several special trains chartered for thu
occasion were boarded by the delegates, and
the start for Philadelphia was made.
Struggling delegates will leave on almost
every train bound for Philadelphia to. day
A number of delegates from the New
England states also went by the Z O'Clock
train. The delegates appeared to be unani
nous in their opposition to ODonovan
in the convention.
at Philadelphia.
PHILADELPHIA, April 25.-The decora.
tions in Horticultural hall, the scene of to
days gathering of the Irish clans, are
quiet and tasteful. Garlands of myrtle
and immortelle, union of tho green and
orange, hang over the stage. The dele
gates were arranged as follows
Those from Now York, Massachusetts
and Canada occupied the front seats, and
back of them came Connecticut, Ohio and
Rhode Island. Then Maryland and the
Southern states, and in rear of all were
the Pennsylvania delegates, the Philadel-
phia and Pittsburgh men being conspicu-
Ously numerous. At eleven o'clock, the
hour for commencement, delegates began
to arrive and the galleries were slowly
filled up with spectators. Frank Byrnes,
the recent dynamite refugee from Paris,
with his wife, occupied seats in the bal
cony.
Called to Order.
At 1906 the convention was called to
order by the president, James A. Mooney,
of Buffalo. The convention organized by
the selection of the following temporary
officers: president, James A. Mooney
secretary, John J. Hynes, of Buffalo ; as.
sistant secretaries, VIM. F. Sheehan, of
Buffalo, J. D. O'Connell, of Washington,
DC. There were no vice presidents.
The Opening Address.
Mr. Mooney on taking the chair spoke as
follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen We are now as
sembled in tho convention to which We
have SO long looked forward. 1t was ou1
hope to have welcomed here Charles
Stewart Parnell, whom We love and re
we're in America. no less than they do in
Ireland itself. To our great disappoint
ment he cannot be here to direct and
inspire our labors. In unfriendly quar-
ters it is sought to make it appear that he
iears to join US, lest words spoken or
action taken in our convention might
compromise him. Such statements are
pure falsehood. Charles Stewart Parnell
well knows the loyalty Of his American
allies. He does not and need not fear
them. He had hoped to the very last mo.
ment that he might be with us, and have
to convey to you his deep and sincere
regret, that, owing to the present aspect
of affairs it was absolutely impossible fol
him to absent himself from Parliament.
Great as is our disappointment, we could
not ask him to forsake his post of duty.
Though he is not here, we have to direct
our labors the plan approved by him OF
the National League in Ireland. This,
together with many forcible expressions
of his views that have from time to time
reached us, will enable US still to work
under his guidance. Then, too, we have
to aid us, by wise counsels, Patrick Easal
the worker and organizer, hardly second
in importance to Parnell himself in the
successes already achieved. Public Op
poltunity is thus given us to testify oul
admiration for the integrity and ability
with which he discharged his difficult
duties in the care and disbursement of the
fund in which John Bull takes SO lively al
interest. 1t is too late now to say words
of welcome to our honOred guest, since SO
many OF his fellow-couptrymen have
al1ead rendered him their heartfelt greet
ings.
Tho short year that has passed since our
last assembling has been crowded with
startling events. The affairs of Ireland
have so occupied the worlds attention,
that those Of other nations have almost
seemed to stand still, while their peoples
listened to her pathetic history. Nothing
that malice could invent has been left un'
said, no effort has been spared to belittle
her cause and misrepresent her, but above
all, to insult and discredit her champions
To America more than to all other nations
has this industrious malignity addressed
its greatest energy. If the object sought
was to break the solid ranks of Irish
American sympathizers, to discourage
their faith in the leaders in Ireland, ant
thus dissuade them from further efforts O
support, it has hopelessiy, signally failed
1t would take more Pigotts and Dixies
than even England could bribe. to Shrek
her now worn out cry of "Stop Thief ~
to make even one contributor to the Land
League fund believe that Patrick Egal
had ever misappied i dollar of their sacrec
trust, to the care Or which he SO unseltish
iy sacrificed his entire time, tho comforts
OF his home, and the prosperity of his
personal affairs.
If the object sought by misrep1esenta
ton was to prejudice the outside Ameri
can public, it has failed likewise. Not
withstanding that we have in some of Ou
cities an insignificant number who woult
fall down to worship everything English
there is a large generous representative
class Of Americans, for whom one of tn
very ablest of American journalists thu
forcibly speaks
sNevertheless, behind this squad O
| would-bs cockneys, there is great bod
of sincere, feeling and thoughtful me-
| aud women in America who take as littl
stock in Gladstone and Forster as the,
forefathers took in Pitt and the regency
repeating the Cromwellian policy, which
under all governments, Liberal and Tory
has prevailed over Ireland. These do no
approve the murders of Cavendish AM
Burke; but they approve just as little til
judicial and constabulary murders, fo
these are made the pretext, They see il
Mr.. Parnell a cool, resolute and clear
headed man fighting against vast odds