, 1890-02-09
A STIRRING APPEAL.
President Fitzgerald Issues an
Address to Irishmen
And Bids Them Stand Their
Ground a Little Longer.
he Scores Some Papers For
Published Criticisms.

LINCOLN, Neb., Feb. 8.-President
Fitzgerald of the Irish National League
to-day issued the following address to
that organization:
To the officers and members of the Irish
National League of America:-Siuce the
inception of the present Irish movement,
now nearing Its hour OF final triumph or
sore defeat. the Irish exile or their child
rem in America bave been the chief sup
port and mainstay OF the National strug
gle. The continuous financial assistance
rendered from US and Canada to the peo-
pie and leaders OF Ireland has been the
result of organization. The muni6cent
aggegate created by the many contribu.
tary streams OF lrlsh-AnerIcan generosity
could never have been attained had the
movement depended on the uncertainty
of spasmodic local action.
Our enemies nave recognized the ire
mendous force of organized effort as the
most potent to the Irish cause, and they
are now exercising all their ingenuity aud
utilizing their immense resources to de
stroy and nullIiy It's Influence by trying to
create disorganizatlon and dlstrust among
III lliCuOo VI lICiauu. ptCTCl SGTNlce
money is being expended, and subsidized
agents are employed to scatter innuendoes
to make false allegations, and every arti-
fee is used to disseminate ISLANDERS in or
der to disrupt the Irish national organiza-
ton in America. The impelling motive,
be what 1t may, a hostile press is being
utilized in this country to supplement the
unscru pulous but defeated efforts of the
London Times to discredit not only the
national officers of the American league,
but the trusted and able leader In this
movement in Ireland, whom till now you
have SO Loyalty obeyed aud so generously
supported.
The Chicago Times of the 2nd insta ut
says editorially: Hold no conyentio n,
is the advice 10 the executive of the Ma
tional league To America from gentlemen
over the sea-. but send us more money.
As to the money part. that has been the
cry from time immerorial. The one
agency of the league alone has collected
a quarter OF n million of the money and
the demand is for more. Men who are
living as members of the British parlia
ment on funds raised in America and
living on the tat of the land, or gossip
does them great injustice. will naturally
cry with the horse leech's daughter,
give, give.
In the Chicago Herald of the same
date We read the programme of the
league on both sides of the ocean is iden-
teal and unmistakable. More funds and
less investigation is the cry everywhere.
Parnell wants no convention for the pres
ent. Nothing is so perfectly delightful
to the free handed patriots whom Ireland
send to this country as to lay aside their
90 rpIpu NATL thau o,,p,nlo, 20 n,o,xl 3.
pay for a draft and they blow the whole
amount into the hands of a lot of IRE
sponsible professional agitators for I'M
known purposes"
Brother lrishmen, is not this the lam
guage OF the London Times, one of the
Tory organs that for generations has been
spotting its contempt upon every effort of
the Irish people to ameliorate the condi
ton of their country? Does it not seem
as if the PIggott-F Flanagan hirelings, baf
fed in England, had transferred their
vile operations to America In this
emergency We rely upon your manhood,
your devotion, your common sense, to
not be misled by the Salisbury reptile
press, hif subsidized priest ~revilers and
those stormy reptiles Of faction who are
trying to demoralize your ranks.
Rest assured that the ignominious de
feat of the London Times will be the fate
OF Its puny imitators on this side of the
Atlantic. The time has come to appeal
to u better nature and have trust and
confidence in ourselves. The Irish peo-
pie in ireland are setting us a grand ex-
ample. They are conducting themselves
with zeal, and d dignity and a discipline
unprecedented in the annals of the hu
man race. Generous as your contribu
lions have been, noble as have been your
sacrifices and magnificent your efforts,
they are fap from equal,ng under like cir
cumstances the manifestation of these
qualities by the people In Ireland.
As an instance we refer to the a~lacrity
with which they contributed in an incon
ceivably short space of time $500 0 to
the defense of the leader in whose pers On
the Irish nation was prosecuted in the
late Times forgery commission. We in
STAN The magnanimity which the peas
antry of Ireland lave within the last two
months raised $3.50 900 more for the
same case. which Is now being in turn
contested uDon the Irish hill sides. The
Irish landlords recognize that their tenure
OF property, founded in robbery and main
tanned by tyranny. is nearing It's end
Forced sales of their OF their estates is
now the Ii ing issue contested by the
two great English parties.
The vital question of the hour is
which party shall anticipate the other In
the framing Of an Irish land bill designed
to give the peasant proprietary to the
people. The law of eminent domain is
going to be invoked. and the purchase
price of estates must be determined on
the annual rental accruine from their use.
The landlords hope to sell at fctituously
exorbitant figures upon a showing of the
back rent roll. Our people have wisely
discerned the cunning of this movement,
and bravelv determined to thwart it at
any cost. To thus end the tenants of
Louth, Cork, Tipperary and other
counties are making common cause and
going forth from their holdings, leaving
the estates to the present valuation.
Your interchangeable treasurer has shown
to the world the manifest honesty and
economy that disarms criticism and enlists
enthusiasm. We need not assure you
your every contribution will be faithfully
delivered to its rightful destination from