The Irish standard., 1890-05-31
CORRESPONDENCE.
The B. Of Z. Defended.

To the Editor of The IRISH STANDARD.
S1R,-In the last issue OF your paper
you deliberately set forth the proceed
ings of the A. o. II. National Conven-
ton which convened at Hartford, Conn.,
on the 18th inst. Upon that. as far as
the work oisthe convention is concerned.
have no criticism to offer, for we're
in tie position which you occupy, and
welding the same influence, [ should
use it in the same spirit to champion the
Cause I cherish. But in perusing that
brilliant account find in substance the
following That the differences existing
between the two rival elements OF the
A. o. II, arise from the fact that one
element favored New York city in which
to hold their national conventions, while
the other favored different places. The
New York men vigorously protested
against change Of base, and even went
so far as to organize themselves into
rival body, claiming to be the only real
A. o. Ell. Whether the foregoing is a
huge Joke or the production of mind
clouded in obscurity I cannot say, but
if your knowledge of existing difficulties
is contained iii this report, It's, 1noeed,
to say the least, very definite. Although
I most decidedly take exceptions to those
statements, I dlsclaim any intention OF
bringing before your readers the real
causes of the present differences. Irish
dissensions are, alas, too we'll prcnlnl-
gated; they already furnish sufficient
food for the critic, and our enemies ex
! ult in the fact that we are at variance III
| the things most conducive to our mu-
tual welfare Suffice it to say that if
this were the only difference between us,
before another sun would sink In the
western horizon the flag OF Unity would
would proudly Aaunt over the two con-
tending elements. Continuing, you say !:
The sanction Of She Board of Erin was
sought by these seceders.' If you will
study the inside history of this you will
find, perhaps, that you, aud not we, are
the real seceders and agressors. As to
the claim that latter repeated failures
to stand mp against the rightful organl-
zation the revolters acknowledged their
error, and such among them as could
meet the requisite qualifications were
reinstated'' That is all bosh; they
never failed, because they never tried.
they never acknowledged it rightful;
knowing 1t was wrong, and if ! mistake
not it would be an easy matter to meet
the requisite qualifications. But pardon
me, am not writing to assai], but rather
to defend. And you conclude by saying:
SAT the present time the breath of life
has gone QUO almost entirely from the
recalcitrant body" This, it seems to
me, is sounding the death knell OF
rather healthy corpse, but 1t has been
sounded so often that it has become a
time-honored, hoary-headed chestnut.
It is true that 1t has suffered and lost III
member shtp in recent years through
ca1umny and misrepresentation, but
there are yet enough left to maintain
those principles which were instituted
700 years ago to combat the encroach-
ments of the invader, and although it is
bat human structure, a Divine inspi-
ration seems to permeate it's delibera-
lions, and when the enemies and assail-
ants Of that illustrious organization will
be numbered among the silent ma
ioritY it will still continue to advocate,
difuse and propagate the principles of
Friendship, Unity and True Christian
Charity. JOHN COLLINS.