Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-04-27

Hdrneils
PHILADELPHIA, April 26.-The delegates
to the Irish national convention gathered
slowly this morning and showed the marks
of fatigue from yesterdays long session,
which was prolonged past midnight. 1t
was believed by those in the confidence of
the leaders that the organization of to-
days convention would be as agreed upon
yesterday, yet speculation as to the per-
sonnet Of the officers who would preside
over the second American convention of
the Irish national league, occupied eager
groups at the doors, in the corridors and
on the sidewalk. The arrangement of the
hall was similar to that on yesterday. One
new feature being large Irish banner in
the rear of the stage with the motto Soon
menorative of the Irish National Conven-
ton" Delegates here from all repu-
table Irish organizations in the United
States and London which are in accord
with the Dublin platform were entitled to
seats on the floor, as a result of which the
seats were filed, as were also the galleries.
great day of the convention, shortly be-
fore II o'clock ex-Mayor I. V. Ponderly,
of Scranton, Pa, noted labor leader,
stated that as soon as the committee of
seven arrived the convention would be
called to order. A few minutes later Mrs.
Della Parnell entered, escorted by Alex.
Sullivan of Chicago, who introduced her
amid applause, as "a greater than the
mother of the Grachi'' at II o'clock. Mr..
Sullivan, at the request of the committee
of seven and in pursuance of the official
call, called the body to order and spoke as
follows:
sULLIvAN's SPEECH.
Fellow Irishmen, Ladies and Gentlemen:
The duty of formally opening the proceed
ings of this convention is assigned to me
by the distinguished gentlemen whose
names are appended to the call. When we
behold the personal magnitude of this as
semblage, when we consider the geographi-
cal area from which it has been spontane-
ously drawn, when we contemplate the in
tsnsity of the passion which animates it for
its sole object we have in view and the
diversity of honest opinion concerning the
meth DDS by which that object may be &C
complished, it is ment that we should on
the very Threshold of our debate invok
Him in whose hands are the destinies of
nations, that our acts may be characterized
By wisdom, liberation and prudence, that
they may result in that actual unity which
alone will insure substantial progress in
securing justice for our motherland, we
hold that anomalous position of being the
only fairly and freely chosen parliament
which may assemble to consider the well
fare of wretchedly oppressed, plundered
and misgoverned people, and we are re-
strained, at the same time, from stepping
outside of the functions of auxiliaries to
the patriots, who are heroically struggling
at home and in an alien hostile legislature
IN the vain hope of awakening the long
suspended conscience of a powerful and
brutal foe. How great are the possibilities,
how great the responsibilities of this con-
vention. We have met neither on
one hand to dictate to our brethren
in Ireland IN anything, nor, on the other
hand, to apologize to their and our
met to organize and concentrate all the
forces of our race, that their united
strength shall be made potential in our
national struggle. We have met to solidi-
fly all elements of our national sympathy,
that hereafter there shall be an authorized
body to speak not for the party, not for
the man, but for united exiled Ireland. We
have met to tell our brethren in Ireland
hot ifc boir 70 fha o6
leads to liberty and ours to march
with them upon it. The racial blood that
flows in our veins shall feel the same pulse
beat as in theirs and that beat shall be as
firm and steady as the tap of the drum on
the morning of battle. 1t is eminently prop
er we should gather around the cradle of
American independence, for in its achieve
ments the Irish race won their first endur-
ing triumph against tyranny, which it
shall continue to resist until its clutch is
loosened from civilization. In these pre-
cincts it is just that we should declare, in
the words of the organic instrument of the
republic, that 'All men are created free
and equal, and that the political liberty we
enjoy belongs equally to our kindred and
CLAN" In these precincts the fathers of
the republic entered upon the discussion
opinion but with singleness of aim. They
contemplated many methods, but all
tended to the common purpose. Their de-
bates were pretracted and free, but they
we're conducted with dignity aud
decorum. By neither their silence
nor their speech did they af-
ford aid or comfort to the enemy. Crate
full for their example, let US enter upon our
duties with our mastering senses of the
high and holy res possibility. 1t was the
noble boast of young patriot, as he was
about to ascend the scatfold, that he had
wished to procure for his country the
guarantee that Washington had secured
for America" In the spirit in which
Robert Emmett died, we live. In his
words we are determined on delivering
our native country from the yoke of for
eign and unrelenting tyranny" and ''to
place her independence beyond the reach
of any power on earth" That we may
have upon our deliberations the approval
of Almighty God, and all just men who
love liberty, we must show in this, the
parliament of our race, assembled in the
city of brotherly love, that every party is
less than the cause, that every individual
is esteemed below our country, and
that every IrishmaD is brother.
The speech was most warmly received.