Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-04-27
RATIONAL LAND LEAGUE. g
To pay's Proceedings of the Con.
ventiOn in Philadelphia.
Waiting for Reports of Commit.
tees-The Platform.

AeOsOAuIiOuo hdu pTbpdTcu bu6lI report, |
but was not yet ready to present it.
Col. Michael Boland, chairman of |
the Committee on Organization, then
said that the Committee on Organiza-
tioR would not be ready to report until
after the Committee on Resolutions |
bad reported, as after long debate |
the Committee on Organization had |
not been able to agree on the number |
of officers for the National League or |
its exact scheme of government. Col. |
Boland, therefore, moved that when |
recess was taken it would be for two
hours, so as to allow the Committee
on Organization time to perfect its
report. Carried.
The Secretary then read, by
unanimous consent, a communion
from the Hon. S. S. Cox, of N. Y,
congratulating the Convention on
what it had achieved, and
declaring that it was inns
possible for ireland to re.
main under the British government
on account Of commercial restrictions
Of the latter. There were 68, ,242 able
bodied men engaged in keeping the
peace while there were but 2l,000
engaged in the uncertainty of land
tenure and of the political status aud
standing army of spies 60 to render
Ireland the worst governed country in
the world. The agitation for liberty
will go on. Questions of extradition,
citizens rights, etc., if considered by
the convention must be viewed in the
light of lessons of recent events.
Edward O'Meagher Condor then
moved that the thanks of this con-
vention be rendered Mr.. Cox. Carried.
On Miss Parnelrs entraDce she was
heartily cheered. Father Boylan of
Caran county, ireland, then addressed
the Convention, amid much applause.
He said that now John Bull would be
put on one horn of the Irish dilemma
and landlord on the other, while
Pat would milk the COW. He compE-
mented the spirit in which the Amer
lean press treated the Irish question.
America had given Irishmen employ
ment, but Irishmen had done Ameri.
cas- hardest work on fields OF both
peace and war. The entire Conven,
tion arose to its feet and cheered
Father Boylan tumultuously.
| Cries for Belts were heard.
The chairman said DR., Belts was
not in the hall.
Father Agnew, formerly of Scot
land, now a delegate of the United
Manhattan League, then addressed
the convention. He said the Irish in
England and Scotland would have
been the FIRST to feel the effects of any
Incorporate action on the part of this
convention, and he was glad to con-
gratulate the delegates that their
action had SO far been wise and mod
crate.
| 1t was moved that vote of thanks
be rendered to Rev. Fathers Boylsn
and Agnew.
Carney, of Massachusetts,, said on
this motion that evoFy Scottish clergy
man had for many years endeayored
to denationaliEe every Irishman who
crossed the channel.
| Carney, amid hisses and confusion,
was pronounced out of order. "
The motion for the vote of thanks
was then carried.
At twenty minutes to twelve a re,
/ cess was taken for two hours to await
reports Of cOmmlttees.
IRISH NATIONAL PLATFORM.
The following is the geport of the
Committee on Resolutions:
The Irish American people, assembled
in convention at Philadelphia, submit to
the intelligence and right reason of their
felloWmen that the duty of government
is to preserve the lives of the governed, to
pefend their liberty, to protect their
property. to maintain peace and order, to
allow each portion of the people an
equitable and efficient voice in legislation
and to promote the general welfare by
wise, jbst and human laws. We sQlemnly
declare and cite unquestioned history and
universal knowledge of living man in
testimony thereof
First, That the English government
has existed in ireland, not to preserve the
lives of the governed, but to destroy
them. Entire communities il wantonly
massacred by sword. To the asylums of
terrified womenit has 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; the sacred persons of
venerable priests it has stretched upon
the rack or suspended from tho gibbet;
pulling babes have been impaled on the.
points of its bayonets, because, in tAeir
own words, its emiisaries liked that gov
ernment its gold has been folded in the
hand ofthe assassin, and has rewarded the
iniamy of the periured traitor; its treach-
erous falsehood has lured patriots to un-
suspected death, as if sword, cannon.
torch, scaffold, dagger and explosives
were not enough. 1t enjoys the unique
intamy OF being the only government
known to ancient and modern times
which has employed famine for the de-
struction of those from whom it claimed
allegiance, and forcibly robbing the Irish
people of the fruits of their own toll pro-
duced by their own labor if has buried,
not a hundred, not a thousand, but more
than a million of the Irish race, un-
shroHded, unooihned Ia graves Of hunger;
, It has mercilessly compelled other mil
lions in compulsory poverty to seek in
alien lands the bread they were en-.
titled to in their own. There is no form
: Of cruelty known tp the lowest savage
which Il has not praoticed upon the Irish
people in the name ofthe highest civiliza-
tion. There is no device of fendsh in
genuity il has not adopted to reduce their
! numbers. Within two years it has mas
sacred children, and woman's body Las
been o Victim to its licensed 'ruflans
There is no species Of destructive attack
/: however insidious OF violent, ancient or
modern, rude or scientific; whether d.
+, Feqled against life or matter; in any pol-
: lion Of the globe, for which It's barbarities