Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1883-05-06
O'DONOVAN ROSA
His Portrait is Painted by au English
Writer who Credits Him with
Being the Most
Honest and Trustworthy Of All the Fenian
Chiefs, a Man of Intelligence,
Energy and Firmuess.

: reasonably fair sketch OF O'Donovaa Rosa,
whs, iust. quarter of 3 century since, be-
came public character. He was then about
twenty-eight, strongly built, Overlooking with
life and Astounding 10 frolic. In those days
he kept shop il Skibbereen, selling every
thing in the way Of food and clothing re-
qaired By his neighbors. His Ieighbors
meant every body-peasant and townspeople
for miles round; and Rosa, being univer-
sally popular, wss a thriving man. His
proper name was Jeremiah ODJuovan; but,
as there YVES quite tribe OF ODonosans IN
that quarter, ard score at least OF ferries,
cur snopkeeper got an additional and dis
tinct;vs appellation, taken from his birth
ptsee-Rosscsrserry.
Rosa was an early convert to Fenisnism-
or, as it was called by the initiated this side
of the Atlantic, the I(rish) R(epublicao)
Brotherhood -hsviDg been sworn in so lar
back IS 1S55.-He was already q man of
mark, not urdeservedIy, for, beginning Lille
at sixteen poor, friendlsss lad, his strong
qualities and business aptitude had made
MIN comparatively rich. He was just the
sort of recruit that the shrewd Stephens, who
never troubled himself with the "tag-rsg" OF
the Observation-Disclosures TO make. Hav-
ing named Rosa the district c, the cap
tain" went his way, leaving the new officer
10 swear in a. many of his acquaintance as
he could persuade to Join. Putting his heart
into the work, Rosa gathered regiment
soma hundreds strong aud about stib-
bereeu. This done, he followed the example
Of his fellow. chiefs elsewhere, established a
mech snics' institute and reaoius-room, and
became an ardent social reformer. He dub
bed his literary associ ation the Ptenix Club,
10 compliment to ONahony, whose branch
OF the conspiracy, not then 80 strong as 1t
afterWard became, wss known as the Phoenix
Ascension. Aud under the cover of this
club he carried out the business Of the con-
spiracy with much skill.
james Stephens usually kept tight hand
over such club, and assursdly would not
have permitted a number OF vsgarles IN
xhich Rosa and the PGenix men indulged
| in 1858 mad he been at home. As it hap
pened, be spent the earlier hslf of that year
IN Americs, teaching O'Mahony, who was
| greatly in need of the lesson, how TO organ
| lie. And in consequence, the demonstraliye
and aggressive Ross, being left very much
TO himself, contrived to attract the attention
| OF the government. The whole affair wa:
very curious, and on many accounts merits
elucidsiion Suffice it to say now that Ross
and a number OF his associates were arrested
tried and convicted. But il was the interes
OF everybody concerned to make as light o.
the affair as possible, so that the prisoners
4 dItef many mouths OF In pllsOum6nt, Wers
| released in 1859, on condition of coming VI
for judgment wnen called upon. They wer,
now all marked men; 80 most OF them tool
themselves oh-some to America, some Il
England, and one or two 10 Ddblin. Anon,
the Last was Rosa, who came out of prisol
to find his business ruined.
His fellow Phoenix men drifted about il
the world; he was far too useful persousg
to be allowed to drift. Stephens took him a
confidential aid, and kept him employed
now as an organizer In one or the other Q
the Irish provinces, now in bresking up th
meetings Of such Nalionalists as refused 3
conspire, and now as one of the series G
messengers that were constantly coming an
going between the American and Europes
branches of the conspiracy. In all lhea
avocatons Rosa distinguished himsslf b
zeal and address, az well as by truculenc
which was thoroughly good.humored an
Irish in those days.
At length that notorious journal the Iris
People was established toward the Gloss {
1868, and Rosa became the nomin,
proprietor. He now teok a wife for til
second time, finding considerable diff
! Guilty in getting priest 10 pertorl
the ceremony, in such disrepute at Ii
time was the conspiracy with the grei
body of the irish Roman Catholic clerg
Shortly afterward Rosa started for Americ
on Fenisn business. After stort stay 9
the other side OF the water be returned
Ireland toward The end of July, 1865,
company with Messrs. P. w. Dunno an
P. J. Meebap. These two gentlemen wei
dsputed by OMahony 10 do certain busne
with Stephens as to the rising fixed to tab
place on the ensuing anniversary OF Ed
mst's execution. Insteppiug ashore Meebs
: iost some important papers in 3 way Thu
has bsen fuliy explained. These psps
wsEs picked mp and placed in the hands
. the authorities. The leading copspir alto
/ were greatly disma aged and hardly 10 be r
strained by Stephens and Rosa 1.-THE la
! ter bsing merciful man in those days) fro
I Furnishing Meehsn severely.
; The government took no action until will
in lew days of the date fixed for insure
ton. Then, however, il hung its net ov,
!. the Fenisn leaders, and caught nearly ever
a one of them Of any CONSEQUENCE; at a siog
r swtep. On the night OF tue 18th of Septen
: Der the Office of the Irih People WAS take
{ possession Of by the police, and half an hot
a later Rossa himself, who, ike most OF II
other leader, had been expecting il, was a
| rested. Like the otbera, too, he believe
= | that his incarceration must end in a yer
e few weeks by the success OF the rebellion.
r Ga the 10 h OF November, S ephens WI
Z caught and placed in the next IL TO r jas
e 10 Richmond bridewsll. An excellent Fenia
e one Frank Byrne, ex.soldier Of the Pap
Brigade, was one of the warden, a
A Stephens escaped, Thanks to Byrne, Ross
: and the others we're perfectly aware Of VIII
: was going on that night, and lay still, col
fident th at their turn would come ere Ion
/ We all know how missraby they were di
It appointed.
i At the trial that followed, Rosa rendert
himself conspicuous above his fellows
audaciiy and energy. In return he cot Il
heaviesl sentence of any-penal servitut
o for life. When released in 1871 he was
It altered man. He was no longer light hear
, ed and rcllick ing. He had lost his genial
II and fun. He seemed 10 have lost altogeth
It his rough but hearty kindness. At the san
a time he preserved all his intelligence, fri
ness and energy. He was Tor rather tn
" Fenian martyr, and he had the repute of b
IS ing the most honest and trus' worthy If ,
! the chiefs. l. was natural, therefore, th
: = he should gather 10 himstlf a strong par
It OF the American Fenisns, and as natur
'f that the said party should exceed all t