The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-02
IRISH LEAGUE CONVENTION.

| President Fitzgerald Unable co Be
Present on Account OF Illness.
CHICAGO, Oct. Possibly the most i'm
portant public gathering Of the Irish race
ever held this side Of the Atlantic began
here to-day IN Central Music hall. 1t was
the convention of the Irish National
League of America, and of the go
cieties and individuals throughout the
United States and Canada in sympathy
with the organization. The assembling OF
the delegates here simultaneously with the
great conference of Mr. Gladstone's adher-
ents at Newcastle, England, preparatory to
the general election in Great Britain was
regarded by many as something more than
a coincidence.
SENSATION AT THE OUTSET.
Secretary John P. sutton caused a ssnsa-
ton at the very outset. He had called the
convention to order, and, when the cheer
ing greeting his appearances subsided, pro-
ceeded to read the call, expressing regret at
the absence through illness Of President
John Fitzgerald and Vice President Patrick
Martin of Baltimore. Secretary Sutton
said the delegates had come
at their own expense In spite of
hostile public opinion created by men,
who, he WAS sorry from his heart to say,
were Irishmen, but he urged them TO think
only of their holy cause. and put it at once
as 1t should be. on business basis.
THE TEMPORARY CHAIRMAN.
O'Neill Ryan Of st. Louis was introduced
as temporary chairman of the convention,
and he promptly launched into ringing
address foreshadowing the policy Of the
gathering. They were not there, Mr.. Ryan
said, ~ uphold any section or faction. but
were there, he hoped, TO say to the Irish
people in Ireland that when they presented
| a strong and united front, then, and not
until then, should they receive the moral
aud material support OF the Irish people In
America.
MUST BE INDEPENDENT.
| Only an aggressive movement independent
| of both English parties could command the
unstinted aid from America that had been
nobly given during the past ten years. The
chairmans strong speech was punctuated
throughout with enthusiastic cheers.
The following committee on credentials
was appointed NJ. ID. Gallagher of New
York. Edmund Lynch of Missouri. j. Flan-
merry of Pennsylvania, John F. Hynes OF
Ohio. William n. Joyce of Illinois, Maj.
NJ. Laughar Of Wisconsin, George Mono
CHAN OF Kansas, Lawrence Sullivan OF
Massachusetts, P. NJ. MulherIn ofsGeorgia,
Patrick Boyd Of Canada.
The convention made John Flannery OF
Pittsburg secretary, with two assistants,
and adjourned to await the action Of the
credentials committee.
400 DELEGATES PRESENT.
Five hundred delegates were announced
to be duly accredited, and the 300 or 40(
present on reassembling made things lively.
| The outcome of a great deal of discussion
war an agreement that each state should be
represented upon overy committee, and a
recess was taken to allow the delegates tc
make their committee selections. The In
terval was filed in with speech-making bJ
prominent IrishmeD.
The chair ruled that all resolutions should
be referred unread to the committee OF
resolutions.
The committees were in itructed to hold
their meeting tonight, and be ready TO re-
! port tomorrow at 10 o'clock sharp, to which
| time the convention adjourned. The reso
lutions committee, it was said, would hav'
an all-night sitting.