Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-04-26
ERIN'S SONS In AMERICA.
THE PHILADELPHIA CONVEN-
TION IN SESSION.

the Great Merger of the Irish Socie
ties-Enthusiasm and Harmony Among
I the Delegates-FinaneIal and Statisti-
tical Reports Rendered
! PHILADELPHIA, April 25.-The Conven-
/ tiOn Of the Irish National Land League
was called to order in horticultural Hall
at fYe minutes past twelve O'Clock to-day,
/ by President James \. Mooney. of Buff
falo. He announced that for the benefit
OF the press and general convenience, each
gentleman would, on rising to address the
chair, announce his name and the State
from which he came. Patrick Egan.
Fathers Cronin and Walsh, and number
Of distinguished Land Leaguers, together
with group of lady delegates, took seats
upon the stage. The convention was or
ganized by the selection of the following
temporary officers:
President-James y. Mooney, of Buffalo,
President Of the Irish Land League Of the
United States.
Secretary. j. Hynes, of Buffalo.
Secretary of the Irish Land League of the
United States.
Assistant Secretaries - William n,
Shehan, of Buffalo, and j. d. O'COnneli.
of Washington, D. c.
AhIAC were ltO ' lCt IIE5lQEuLS.
The galleries were filled with specta-
| tors. Frank ByTnes, recent dynamite
refugee from Paris, occupied a seat in. the
right hand balcony, he and his wife being
here as spectators. Among the lady dele
gates present were Mrs. Diggs
and Miss Hettie Mcclure. as delegates
from the Central Branch of New York
city; Mrs. ID. Riley, Miss Mary f. Gala
han, Miss Kitty Fitzgerald. of the st.
Louis Ladies' Land League; and Mrs.
Alice Gallagher, of the Parnell Land
League of st. Louis; and twentv-One fe-
male delegates sent by seven female and
League branches in this city.
The object of the convention is to wind
up the affairs Of the Irish National Land
! League of America and merge it with an
other body whose scope viii be broader
and more far-reaching. The Land League
as now organized deals only with the
| questions OF the land law and not with
! those of national and local self govern
/ ment. The new organization will grap-
pie with all three of these questions and
some others besides. TO-day's convention
Will first indOrse the policy pursued by
| Dir. Parnell in his efforts in behalf of
Ireland. 1t will then endeavOr TO
devise plans for the organization of to-
| mOrrOW's meeting, which will be a con-
ventiOn of the Irish race in America and
! consist of duly accredited delegates from
various benevolent, charitable and other
Irish societies i'll America. The call for
this second convention states its object to
be to form new league after the plan of
( the National League of Ireland, which
/ Will blend into one organization all the
Irish societies Of the United States ana
| Canada, the new organization to be attil-
lated with the Irish National League of Ire
land. The principles of the Irish National
! League which was formed in Dublin in
I October last are as follows: First.
national Self-gOVernment; second, land
| law reform; third, local Self-goYernment;
fourth, the extension of Parliamentary
and municipal franchise; fifth, the devel-
opment and encouragement of the labor
and industrial interests of Ireland. These
principles, it is believed, will form
the platform upon which the new
National League to be created tomorrow
will stand. The decorations of the hall
are tasteful. Pictures. bUsts and statutes
of Washington. Papnell, Davitt. Irish So
ciety banners, American flags tringed
with green garlands of myrtle and immOr-
telles the union of the green and Orange),
streamers of red, white and blue and
an American eagle compose the ornaments.
Across the front of the prOscenium arch
is the Irish legend, "Cead mile failthe'
a hundred thousand welcomes ). The
body Of the hall will seat LOO, and is re-
served exclusively for delegates. The
galleries, with a seating capacity OF 800.
are for spectators.
After the convention came to order
President Mooney delivered his opening
address. His mention of the names
Parnell and Egan was vOciferously
cheered, as was reference to Treasurer
Egan's financial accounts. At the con-
clusiOn of President Moneys speech the
temporary officers were made the officers
of the permanent organization. \ Com
(rroIaofialc = orvoir1fod an1
a recess taken until 2:30 O'Clock this
afternoon. O'DOnOvan Rossa was
present during the morning for a
while, seated at the reporters
table, having been admitted as a repre-
sentative of his paper, the United irish
man. He was very quiet and took notes
occasionally. Mrs. Parnell entered the
hall about 2:30 and was greeted very
warmly, all present rising to their feet
and cheering. She went on the
stage and took seat near the
Secretary's table, and was formally
introduced as the mother of the great
Irish leader. She will be here during the
remainder of the week, but will make no
public address or speech of any kind.
She was escorted on the stage by Messrs.
Mooney and Egan.
During the recess a dispatch, purpOrt-
ing to come from the Pope, created some
amusement among those on the stage. 1t
was generally received as n hoax. 1t
offered to eXcOmmunicate any Irish
Catholic attacking England during this
convention on the ground OF England's
liberality to all religions.
The convention was called to order
again at quarter past three o'clock:
The Committee on Credentials reported
that all the credentials had been acted
upon favOrably. Secretary Hynes then
read his general statement and Father
f,olf with his Treas
urer. An explanation having been
asked why the lecture expenses OF
Messrs. Davitt. Redman and Parnell were
paid by the League it was explained
bv both AIessrs. Hynes and Walsh that
these gentlemen had given all the receipts
at their lectures TO the League funds, and
the Central Council had thought II only
proper that all their expenses should be
paid. Both reports were greeted with
enthusiasm. All resolutions were refer
red without reading to the Committee on
Resolutions.
A committee was appointed, of one
delegate from each Stare represented in
the convention, TO prepare plan OF
merger with the National Irish League,
which is to meet in convention tomorrow.
The committee is as follows: Arizona,
James Redpath: Connecticut, James Rey-
nOlds: Georgia, Col. J. V. Armstrong; Hill
nois. Rev. Morris DOrney; Indiana, james
Hallen: Iowa, NJ. V. Cannon; Kentucky,
Mathew o. Doherty; Louisiana, I. Moro
nv: MARYLAND, Col. Z. Il. Joyce; Michigan,
Rev. DIR. Charles O'Reilly; Minnesota, {.
NJ. Macarthur; Missouri, DR.. Thomas
O'Reilly: Massachusetts, Rev. Father
Conaly; Maine, John 4. Gallagher; New
Hampshire, Wm. II. German; New Jer-
sew. John II. SandersOn; New York, ID.
{. Feely; Nebraska, John Fitzgerald;
Ohio. Major John Byrne; Pennsylvania,
Rev. Thomas Barry; Vermont, William
Mullan; Rhode Island, Colonel r. l..
O'Reilly: South Carolina, NJ NJ. Ken
nedv; Virginia. Patrick McGOwen; Wis
consin. Joseph q. Donnelly; District Of
Columbia, Arthur Rooney.
motion that all matters concerning
the reorganization CT the League, and all
resolutions. be referred to this committee,
was carried. An adjournment was then
taken until O'Clock this evening.
The Treasurer's report shows balance
on hand january o, 1888, of $12, IA. There
was received from the branches from jan
uary 9. 1888. to April 9, 1888, SS,932, The
balance on hand April 9th, was $S,692.
There has been RENTED for Land League
purposes to this date, $50, ,102, and for the
Irish relief fund $23,652. The balance on
hand is now S4.9lj.
The report of Secretary Hynes shows
that during the year S3 new branches re-
ported TO the central office and were en-
rolled on the national roll. There are
now on the roll $50 branches, of whose
existence the central officer has official
knowledge, and 29S of which are not