Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-12-17
LIBERTY'S LEAGUE.
patrfatic letter From a Prominent
Advocate OF Ireiaad's Cause
Local Matters.

On next Sunday night the locsl branch
of The Irish National League will be re-
yived at Turner hall The Rock Island
society met with much success last sea :
son, and it is to be hoped the interest
then maifested, will be renewed next
Sunday night. and that the patriotic
movement will receive substantial encour-
agement in the work of the coming winter.
A short time since Mr.. Patrick Ferron,
wrote Mr.. John p Sutton, of
Lincoln, Neb, secretary of the national
league of America, concerning the re-
vival of the work in Rock Island, and in
response has received this letter:
LINCOLN, NEB. Dec. 10, 1886.
Patrick Ferron, Esq, Rock Island, ILL.,,
DEAR SIR:--I am in receipt OF
your letter of Sth inst, and note
your intention of holding public
meeting in Rock Island to rally
the Irishmen of your city under the
banners of the league. Our people in
Ireland are threatened with all the OPP
preston that can emanate from men
filled with the madness that precedes de
struction. Pursued by an uprisen and
determined nation, the monster of land
lordism Is brought to bay, and with all
its ferocity and venom concentrated for a
final and despairing effort. it will stake
its all upon this. its last attack OH our
long suffering people. Laudlordism is
doomed; It is an auarchism in this
democratic age, but unless We squeeze
the pestilent breath from its body, il has
sufficient vitality to work woe and havoc
to Irish homes for many q year to come.
The vile system must be stamped out
now and forever Already the struggle
has commenced, and unarmed but united
aud resclute people oD the one hand, and
on the other. all the might of the British
empire This winter will decide the des-
tiny of Ireland If the people, disheart-
ened and discouraged yield under the
lash of coercion, then We may fCri our
green flags for ever, and surrender all
hopes our fathers died fora doomed
race forever disappear as a distinct
nationality among the people of the
earth. the stamp Of slavery upon US and
upon our children's children till time
shall be no more. The gallant men OF
Ireland cannot bear the strain too
long. They see nothing around them but
misery, restitution and ruIoed trade.
Happier lands tempt them across the sea,
and it is hard to blame those who turn
their backs on the devoted isle to seek q
better reward for their industry and more
comfortable homes, far away from tyr
amy and oppression. Our mother land
Is bleeding to death; and she cannot
maintain the prolonged agony of such 6
struggle as now impands, unless her ex
lied children come generously, and above
all, quickly 10 her rescue. We have prom
ised as much. and everything in religion
aud human nature calls upon Us to redeem
that promise. We have urged our kin
bred to fling defiance in the teeth Of tbeil
tyrsnts, and now We must not abandon
them to their rutal enemies.
The most earnest effort that has YET
been made to aid the cause of Irclapt
must be made this winter. Branches o
the league should be established every
where and the national treasurer KEEP
busy with remittances for transmission
| across the sea. Officers of branches should
be selected because of tier zeal and ca
pacity to serve the cause and Tor these
reasons alone. Men who have time Il
work, men who are willing to work, anC
not figurehcads, are what we requir,
now. | trust, then, that Rock IslanC
will give no uncertain sound rs to th,
earnestness of the Irish Of that city, ani
hope most sincerely that your meeun!
will he a grand success. | am, sir, your
| faithfully. JOHN z. SUTTON, Sec'y.