Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-10-03
THE IRISH LEAGUE.
Factions at the National Convention
Decidedly Clash.
PLATFORM READ AND A FIGHT
Is the Rssalt-Ihs Pattern Condemns
Iish Hero WORSHIP as CaEss Of the
Existing Condition Of Ifals IN
Ireland - ClsytlGnas
Name okssrsd.

after All night vigils and many anxious
this morning, the question
tion whether the Irish National League
OF America should, as an organization,
formally repudiate and condemn Parnell,
was still undetermined.
A strong element Of the Platform
including, j. G.. Donnelly,
of Wisconsin, and DR.. Thomas O'Reilly,
of St. Louis, had made a struggle In
favor of such action and threatened tnat
the fight would be carried into the con-
yention. They were combated by others,
among whom Daniel Cookery, OF Chicago,
was conspicuous, holding that the
League should continue to maintain an
attitude to neutrality as between the
warning factions in Ireland.
Probably no more sensational docu-
ment was ever submitted to a public
gathering of Irishmen than the report
laid before the delegates, when the con-
yention reassembled, by John Z. SUIT
ton, the Secretary of the organization.
The secret correspondence OF the lead
ers revealed In the report and the
strange conditions under which the
League appears to have existed, could
not but cause surprise even to many
who have most closely watched the
current of affairs.
"Your present Executive" the report
says, accepted Office at the Convention
held in Chicago In August 1886. Pres
ident John Fitzgerald was declared
elected by three-fourths Of the assem-
bled delegates, and the Treasurer and
Secretary were reelected without oppo-
sition. There was at that Convention
an element of discord, but, overawed by
the preponderance of men who loved
the cause too dearly to prostitute it at
the shrine of factionalism, they were
powerless to mar the harmony or that
great gathering of 1rishmen, which
would not and could not listen TO men
whose whole stock In trade was making
charges and failing to prove them. Pres
ident Fitzgerald returned to his western
home in the full belief that great or
ganzed body of Irish-Americans stood
behind him, united like brothers In the
holy cause OF Irish liberty. He found
his mistake. Like Garrett, the great
Earl of Desmopd and the still nobler
T.o-d Edo, he found Irish trait .
ready TO stab hlm la Vue Uack. The
cowardly conspirators who, failing in
their vile purpose of creating dissention
and disunlon, had sneaked out like
beaten ours from the last Chicago con-
vention, renewed, under cover Of secret
plots, their attempt to demoralize and
disrupt the League"
The climax of Mr.. Sutton's document
is a letter dated "HouSe of Commons,
London, May 21, 1S0O," from John Dil-
lon to President Fitzgerald, marked
strictly confidential" saying: "Mr.
Parnell suggests that the Executive
should address communication to him
(ParnelD recognizing the difficulties
created by American party complications
and advising that he (ParnelD should
take steps TO reconstruct the present
organization in such manner as would
allow the various branches to COM
municate direct with Dublin. If the
Executive can see their way to act upon
the suggestion, Mr.. ParneIl authorizes
me to say that, in reply to communi-
cation from them, he will himself
write, thanking them for their great
services 10 the Irish cause, strongly dis
approving of the attacks that have
been made upon them, and stating that,
having inqvired into the charges made
against the Executive Of the League,
he is satisfied that they are utterly
without foundation"
President Fitzgerald, replying, said
the members Of the Executive could
not conceal their astonishment at the
tenor of their communication. adding:
"We cannot but dissent from the sup
position that American politics have in
any way interferred with or compli-
Gated the administration of the League.
The record shows that while the mem
bers OF the Executive were Of different
political affiliations, they were unani-
nous in their resolve to prevent any
such interference with the government
of the League. As TO the undesirability
of the central organization in America,
that is question which pertains ex-
to your Jurisdiction.
NJ. V. Cannon, Of Omaha, tonight
succeeded John Fitzgerald as President
OF the Irish National League OF Amer
lea. The convention, Notwithstanding
a spirited struggle. adopted an attitude
of absolute independence for the organ
ization from any Of the factions in Ire
land or their auxiliary bodies.
Secretary John p. Sutton was re-
elected by acclamation, and William
Lyman, of New York, unanimously
chosen Treasurer.
An exciting and enthusiastic, yet
thorough business-like session, marked
the close Of the convention. When the
committees appointed yesterday were
finally ready to report the proceedings
each other in very rapid sue
cesSion.
The real fight Of the day occurred
when the report of the committee on
platform was read by Chairman Gan
non. During the reading the conven-
ton was attentive, though repeatedly
breaking into cheers. The platform
was as follows:
The platform testified its devotion to
the flag OF the union and the unqaench-
able love az its members for the laws
and institutions Of the country, recog-
nizing gladly and proudly that primary
allegiance was dve to that flag and 70
those institutions. Affirmed an over
desire to see eXteneed to
motherland the benefits accruing from
equal laws, such as have blessed America
and made her the hope of suffering
and the model for nations
struggling for free Institutions, regrett-
ed the Conditions now existing in Ire
land and attribute their possibility an
tendency toward hero wor-
shin and one man domination which we
hope to see obliterated from the public
life of Ireland. Continuing it said:-
It further called for the release Of