Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-05-12
IRISH NATIONAL LEAGUE.

PHILADELPHIA, April q.
At the morning session, the Secretary
read, by unanimous consent; a com
munication from Hon. S. S. Cox,
Of New York, congratulating the Con-
vention on what it had done, and declaring
that it was impossible for ireland to remain
under British government, on account of
commercial restrictions of the latter. There
we're 6S,242 %able-bouied men engaged in
"keeping the peace" while there were but
81, 900 engaged in teaching. The uncer-
tainty of land tenure and OF political status,
and a standing army Of spies, go to render
Ireland the worstgoverned country in the
world. Agitation for liberty will go OH.
The questions of extradition, citizens rights,
ETC., If considered by the Convention, must
be viewed in the light of the lessons of re-
cent events.
Edward O'Meaghcr Condor then moved
that the thanks of this Convention be ten
dcred to Mr.. Cox. Carried.
On Mrs. Parnell's entrance she was heart
ily cheered.
At twenty minutes to twelve a recess was
taken for two hours, to await the reports OF
the committees.
At $40, on the reassembling Of the con-
v%ention, the Chairman Of the Committee OH
Resolutions submitted his report, as follows:
I'll PLATFORM.
The Irish-American people, assembled in
convention at Philadelphia, submit to the In
] tclligence and the right reason OF their fellow
men, that the duty Of government Is to pre-.
serve the lives of the governed, to defend
maintain peace and order, to allow each por-
ton of the people an equitable and efficient
voice In legislation, and to promote the gen
eral welfare by wise, just and humane laws.
We solemnly declare and cite ,ihquestion-
able history, and universal knowledge of liv-
ing men in testimony hereof.
& in Ireland, not to preserve the lives OF the
governed, but to destroy them. Entire COM
munities it has wantonly massacred by the
deliberately applied the blazing torch; into
helpless towns it has discharged deadly bombs
and shells.
Through consecrated crypts, where age and
infancy sought shelter, it has sent its bloody
butchers. Sacred persons OF venerable priests
it has stretched upon the rack or suspended
paled on points of its bayonets because, in
]$ $ss!y sSs Esr IL g et3s ss sH ssss !s!a ssi y '! w.
h in9am Of d the e asT;sses . ana it hss rewarded 40
ialsGhood has lured patriots to unsupported
death, as # the sword, cannon, torch. scauold.
dagger 81 and explosive were not cnonYh:
only government known to ancient or mod
crn times which has employed famine for the
destruction OF those from whom it claimed al
~ thC l1S pSV.
pie of the fruits OF their own toll, produced
by their own labor, ii has buried not Y huns
drcd, not q thousand, but more than IL million,
of the Irish race unshrossled and uncoiiined
in the grave. OF hunger 1t has mcrcilcsS!y
compelled other millions, in compulsory pow
crty, to seek in alien lands the bread they
were entitled to in their wn.
There is no form of cruelty known to tho
lowest savage which it has not practiced on
the Irish people in the name Of the highest
civilization. There is no device of tiondish in
RcnIitV II, has not DlODtnu 10 reduce their
numbers. Within two years it has mastered
children, and women's bodies have been VIC
cies Of destructive attack, however insidious
or violent, ancient or modern, rude or scien-
tiic, whether directed against life or matterin
any portion of the globe, for which its bar
barities in Ireland have not furnished exam
pie. There is no form of retaliation to which
despair or madness may resort, for which En-
sponsible.
We declare that English government in
Ireland naan1S has has M not defends, defended the liberty her Of the
enacted since the invasion amount to a
series of coercion laws framed to deprive
s sna so re 81 ei! t Sssa5sf Is OF oul R s IN f osdap to
sSans0d to f. eae'F to pff oFe,sS l and 'G SINCE
when tie Irish Parliamen twas was Abolished,
the laws for Ireland have been
made in. England, and during that
BY jury have Been nD suspendad more than na City hls
times. Hordes of soldiers have been loosed
upon a people forbidden to bear arms, and u
been maintained To-day Representatives OF
the tn people are in prison, g%uiltiess Of crime;
press is abolished, and the right of peaceabe
public meetings is annulled. No mans house
is secure, night or day, from armed maraud'
without Il warrant a citizen may be thrown
into prison; without counsel he may be put
on mock trial before a preiudiced Judge and
chnsed wretches, his liberty may DO sacrificed
or his life taken in the name OF law.
the 10; ne instea Tn OF Rre enxaing t the j. ? property rsP3sr b Of
been eonspicuous for its injury and ruin.
{ o ut Of 3 alU0,oN acres Of producing land.
ownership of the remainder, generally ac-
CURED by force or fraud, has been retained i'll
the hands of r%avcnous monopolists who an
nually drained the country OF it's money in
the form Of rents. no portion of which woes
back to the Irish people. In addition 10 This,
an iniquitous system of taxation imposes on
nance of a foreign army. for an oppressive CON
s,abulary, for salaries to supernumerary Of
f n III and plaeeemen for pensions to English
for a vulgar. court whose extravaganza is
e9ualed only by the sham of its pretensions.
The naturally created capital of the country is
other, and brings no exchange except ar
ticles of English manufacture, which the Irish
people, under self-goYernmcnt, would pro-
duce tor themselves or purchase in America.
Irish manufactures. deliberately destroyed
by England in the last century, are still dor
niant: Her immense wa'er-power turns no
wheels: her canals arc all but impasslble: her
rivers are all obstructed; her useful clay and
valuable minerals are untouched. In her
beautiful harbOrs are few ships, except those
OF her enemy. English law for the protection
OF property in Ireland has been q lance to
make Ireland bleed al every pore for the ben
eht OF the heurtless landlord and the English
manufacturer.
4. English government In Ireland has not
maintained peace and order, but has for seven
hundred years broken her peace and destroyed
5. English government in Ireland does not
allow that portion OF the Empire an equitable
and efficient voice in the Legislature. In En-
gland one-twelith of the population votes for
the members of Parliament. In Ireland one
twenty-hfth of the population votes for
members of Parliament. In England req
istrntion laws are favorable to votes.
IN ireland they are inimical to tho voter.
In England all classes of population are fairly
represented. In Ireland. the Poor law is en-
ployed 10 secure to landlords and plnce-hunu-
crs the prppOndcrance in the National dele
cation. In Englnnd the judiciary is independ-
ent OF the executive, and sympathizes with
the people. The Ireland Judiciary is the Great
ure and a part of the executive, and is APP
pointed exclusively from the enemies of the
people. In England the mngistracy is
chosen without regard to creed.
In Ireland nincty-scven per cent. OF the mag
lStiates having jurisdiction over the peoples