St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-14
THE IRISH LEAGUE.
In Annual Convention at Faneuil
Hall with a Large Dele
cation.
Great Enthusiasm Manifested and the
Speakers Frequently Interrupted
with Applause.
The Mother of Parnell and Several Noted
Personages were Noticed in the
Assemblage.

the convention of the Irish national league held
secret meeting until after midnight. The
principal business was defining a policy which
shall govern the proceedings of the convention
to-day. The delegates are nearly unanimous in
favor Of prohibiting the discussion in any form
Of American politics. 1t was decided to recon-
mend Judge Mooney, of Buffalo, as temporary
chairman.
The Iowa state league sent 81, 600 to Sullivan
for the parliamentary fund.
Seven hundred delegates are in town.
Among the distinguished members present are
Rev. P. Kroron, of Buffalo; James Mooney, Esq.
president of the Land League; John j. Hines,
national secretary; John Devere, Judge John
Rooney, P. A. Collins, DIR Wm B Cole and Rev.
McBrennen, of Baltimore; Rev. NJ. V. Cannon, of
Iowa; Rev. DR.. Chas. Riley, of Detroit, national
treasurer of the league; Mrs. Parnell, mother of
Chas. Stewart Parnell, and Mrs. Alex. Sullivan,
who is known as number one;' Thomas Sexton
and son, E. Redmond the last named will arrive
this afternoon.
At 12 80 the Hon. Alex Sullivan entered the
hall leaning upon the arm of John Boyle o. Reilly.
He was received with enthusiasm. Mr.. Sullivan
called the convention to order and spoke as fol
lows:
GenLlemen OIL the COnVenIlOn-ln the name
and by the authority of the Irish National League
of America, we meet to fulfill the requirements
of its constitution; TO convey to our kindred the
message of our steadfast devotion; and to receive
the ambassadors whom they have commissioned
to acquaint with the progress of their struggle
for self government The memorable Philadel-
phia convention organized the Irish National
League of America. 1t is the auxiliary of the
Irish National League of Ireland, the heir to all
the hopes, and the guardian OF more than the aims
of that great social revolt which lifted the Irish
farmer from the earth TO his feet and cast the
English system of landlordism in Ireland on its
face on the earth The Land League was born
in an hour of woe, when the specter of famine
appeared, summoned, not by the breath of God
whitening the harvests, but by the
English government. With armies and
fleets with prisons and scaffolds and felon ships,
with coercion acts and constabulary, it enabled
the landlord to withhold, until purchased by for
eign charity, the food the people had produced by
their own labor out of their own soil. Humane,
nay, humble as was the first object Of the Land
league. it was suppressed by force because the
English government feared that from the brow
of its humanity would spring the spirit of liberty.
The Irish National league, whose distinct and
avowed purpose is the establishment of the SOW
ereignty of the Irish people in Ireland, is the
bodiment of that spirit OF liberty. 1t cannot be
suppressed, for its spirit is immortal. 1t is be-
yOnd the scope OIL coercion acts, Ior ltS lie Is as
endless as the life of race. The shamrock, on
its banner, r-bedewed in its native bed, is the
symbol of the glorious union of that race in three
homes, separated by the seas that divide conti-
nents, united by the determination Of a race to
achieve the independence of a nation.
As the land league accomplished the relief of
class, the national league represents the aspr-
atons and the resolve of an entire people.
The national league aims not merely at a reduc-
ton of rents; not merely at change from idle
proprietors to working proprietors, but at the
creation of complete national life and the devel
opment of all the diversified industries which
render people self-sustaining and prosperous
The work Of the league in the United
States has been directed first to sending aid to
the treasury in Ireland, whose moderate require
ments, in the absence of any emergency, have
| been fairly met, and to the enlightenment and
| solidifcation of American opinion While force
is still able to prolong despotism, justice is moi
| dependent on arms alone. Ireland, unable to
| cope with the empire that denies her constitu
| tion and parliament, appeals from the bayone
| of her invader to the conscience and the mind o1
mankind, and asks whether her demands are moi
! just, and whether her patience, her morality and
| her perseverance have not been sublime. The
| American mind is essentially practical, and du
| ring the past year we have endeavored to make
| it acquainted with the practical aspects OF Eng
| lish misrule in Ireland. We have asked ou1
|
| poyerishng taxation, the crushed manufactures
the restricted education the diminished agricul
ture, the compulsory emigration of the people
! of Ireland. We have asked the American con
science to scrutinize the corrupt and infamou:
| judicial system grimly maintained there
| for the torture and slaughter of the
people. We have asked American freemen to
contemplate the suppression Of free speech
the intimidation of the press, and the extinction
of personal liberty under an administration nomi
nally constitutional, actually barbarous despot
ISM The results of our labor are apparent in tht
| sympathetic unanimity with which the American
| press sustain the struggle Of our countrymen a
home, and in the universal expression of tn.
| public opinion of the republic. 3
| 1t is now apparent to thoughtful men on boil
sides of the sea that the interests of the Ameri
| can republic are identical with the interests o
| Ireland. Every year that witnesses the denial o
self-government for Ireland is year of taxation
| upon a considerable portion of the American peo
pie for the support of the English crown in Ire
land. The drain of money from the toiers o
| the United States to aid, their kindred
in Ireland will continue until the govern
ment which they detest, and whcl
keeps them poor and dependent, is expelled. II
| whatever measure we enlist the sympathy ant
the influence of the American republic in behal
| of the people of Ireland, we render service Il
| the republic. 1t has been the practice of tn.
| EnRls0 government IOr more tnaD q generatl0l
| TO drive vast numbers of the Irish people of
small agricultural holdings into foul and vicious
| dens called psor houses. Being thus reduced t.
| poverty, their children robbed of an opportunity
to acquire bread getting skill, they have beer
| forced into the pits of ocean vessels, and cas-
penniless upon the crowded cities of our sea
board. Here they have become unwilling bu
| helpless charges upon our communities, or, b.
their blameless lack Of skill, and their cred
| table energy in seeking euOiOy
ment, they have forced wages dowr
along the lines where wages are lowest. In di
recting the attention of our government to thi:
violation of international rights,we discharge tbs
| duty TO the American taxpayer and wage
worker, while we fasten the attention Of tn,
world upon a long-lived English ie-namely
| that Ireland is over populated, for we showed
that only 3000 900 acres out of 90 000, 900 of he
soil are under tillage, and that, IL permitted t.
govern herself, Ireland is capable of supporting
five times her population.
OF the national convention OF each of the grea
political parties, we requested and received
pledge that English landlordism, which is nearly
expelled from Ireland, shall not be permitted t.
transfer its evil seeds to American
soil. In adopting this peaceful method
OF prevention rather than waiting
until the cure of force should b
required,we rejected the policy OF Mr.. Gladstone
who could not disestablish an alien church until.
| aSOoEAAuk 10 MS ONu 2sOW1is c4plOcNe> ndQ re-
sounded in England, and we have relied on aga
tstion TO effect public benefits. thus following the
principles Of Charles Steward Parneu
Fellow countrymen. the only credentials recog
nized this floor the credentials Of the Irish
National league. On yonder threshold we
dropped our character as members of American
parties. The only demand the Irish Natioua
league makes in American politics Is the Ge-
mand for the elevation OF American citizenship
~ home and sbroad- Il makes that demand Of
sn parties, snd it makes il 50 determinedIy that
every party must respect IT 1t makes that de-
uland not in the name of the distant island
whence we sprang; it makes il IN the name O:
the American republic, of which we are q part
II makes il not for the man OF Irish blood alone
but for every American, native Snd adopted,
whether Celt or German. Scandinavian or Rms
sian.