Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-10
THE CINCINNATI CONFERENCE.
Nj. O'Kelly Asks the Irish National League
to Indorpe Pnrnell.

Nj. o'Kelly Asks the Irish National League
to Indorse Parneil.
A Cincinnati special to the Baltimore Sun
says of the meeting OF the Irish-Amerieans in
that city yesterday: Probably the most inter
esting meeting in the history Of the Irish Ma
tional League in America was held in the Bur-
net House in this city today. Its purpose was
to decide the question whether the league
should, by its moral and financial aid, support
Charles Stewart Parnell as leader Of the Irish
parliamentary party. With but an hour or SO
Of intermission the session extended from IL
O'Clock in the morning until nearly midnight
The assembly was composed of the national
council Of the league and number of promi-
nent lrish-Americsns OF the country. who were
invited by President Fitzgerald Of the organi-
zation There were present President John
Fitzgerald OF Lincoln, Neb.; First Vice Presi-
dent Patrick Martin Of Baltimore; Secretary
John z. Sutton, Lincoln, Neb.; Daniel Cookery,
Chicago; D Brien Atkinson. Port Huron, Mich. /;
MAI VIM. j. Gleason. controller Of the city OF
Cleveland, Ohio; Capt. p. Smith, Cleveland;
James hillalea, Nashville. Tenn; VIM Lyman.
Michael Burns, indianapolis: Judge Fitzgerald,
Kansas. and NJ. V~Gaunon, Omaha, Neb."
PRESIDENT r1TzGERALD's STATEMENT.
President Fitzgerald announced that the
meeting had been held at the request of Mr.. Jas.
j. o Kelly one Of the ENJOYS sent by Mr.. Parnell
to this country for funds. Mr.. Fitzgerald said
that he had refused to call convention of the
Irish National League of America TO indorse
Mr., Parnells leadership, believing that the
national council of the league should act on
that matter.
Mr.. Fitzgerald continued: at In TO obtain
your views and determination in this matter that
have called you TO assemble here. 1 advise
the fullest and most deliberate discussion Of
this subject and the coolest and calmest Of
judgment TO guide you in reaching conclusions
AS men who have ever been loyal TO the cause
of the motherland, as American citizens who
love freedom and as fathers who have ever
strlven TO leave the proud heritage of an ex-
allied manhood to your children, L counsel you
to weigh well all arguments in this matter.
Look not to leaders or men, but TO the cause Of
Ireland.
MR.. o'KELLYs ADDRESS.
1t having been announced that Mr.. O'Kelly
was in the hotel corridor and wished to give
the council his version of the Irish conflict
unanimous consent was given. After review
ing the preliminary work of those who were
selected by both sides of the Irish party 10
treat with Mr.. Gladstone toward securing a full
and complete measure Of home rule for Ireland
IN the event of a liberal victory at the next
general election in Great Britain and their
appointment of the constabulary and the
judges, as urged by Mr.. Parnell, should be
vested In an Irish parliament, Mr.. 0'Kelly
said the Irish parliamentary party should
logically have remained as it was. IL any
division was thought of it should have been
only after an appeal to the constit-
uencies OF the land-a step Parnell and his
followers would gladly have taken. As il was,
no such action was considered by the Mccarthy
ties whom Mr.. O'kelly designated seceders.
Ihox- had l.o,1 II n
clples and had organized a new party and
adopted new policy. Under this condition of
affairs the Parnellites were. constitutionally
the Irish parliamentary. though in the minority,
because they alone preserved the principles
upon which the league had SO long stood of an
independent Irish party. free of any utilization
with any and every English party. so far as its
policy was concerned. The McCarthyites. on
the contrary, disregarded that platform. which
had secured for Ireland under Parnelrs leader
ship, all the concessions she had gained since
1850.
Mr.. O'Kelly claimed that the fight on Parnel
goes back of the divorce court proceedings
The liberals, he said, could not forgive him for
blocking their way in 1856 because they refused
to outline a definite home rule measure. Mr.
okelly referred then to the bishops. He said
Another fruitful source of trouble in the ranks
OF the Irish party is the opposition OF the Irish
bishops. The true cause of their dislike OF Mr.
Parneu is not of recent origin. 1t was begot-
ten by his Withholding his support from their
Irish university scheme. The bishops want to
secure one million pounds sterling from the
government to found a university in Ireland
which shall be under their control and guild
ance."
He declared that he was not opposed 20 the
Catholic church. He was a Catholic himself,
but he did not favor using the church in poll
tics. He went on: Il believe firmly that tw O.
thirds of the Irish people are with U.S. In
Longfort, with but few district exceptions in
Ilpperary, Meath and Westmeath, Galway,
Mayo and other counties. where the people
think and act for themselves more so than in
some other parts of the country, our party is es-
pecially strong. In a general election at the
outside estimate our opponents cannot carry
over one-third the whole number OF constitu-
encies."
HE ASKS FOR ENDORSEMENT.
"Give us your aid and you will see my state
ments verified. The priests will Join us if we
are victorious they did in 1880, when the
league won.
''As for the McCarthyites, they cannot live,
because they have no sentiment in their work
IL Mr.. Parnell be elected alone. of all his party
in the next election he will eventually be again
the leader of the Irish cause IL our party does
not win IN their next contest have done with
politics in Ireland. l will step aside that some
one else may come il who may be able to re-
unite the Irish people. We want the support
Vi the league. Ii You agree with our policy
ask you to indorse US, or If you
hold that Mr.. Mccarthy and his
friends are right support them.
The moral argument of this fight has nothing
in it. Healy, Mccarthy and Sexton are out of
court These men, who are now opposing us,
have been quarreling among themselves. With
out the present trouble they could not keep to-
gether fortnight. Mr.. Parnell held them in
check. He was the only leader who could do
so, the only man in the Irish party who has de-
veloped the necessary qualities for leadership.
You may say to us to so home and settle our
quarrels. tell you the Irish people will not
allow us to settle it. There is only one place
where it can be settled and that is the polls"
MIR. ATKINsoN's SPEECH.
Mr.. O'Brien Atkinson followed in an ad-
dress urging the council to indorse Mr.. Par
nell. He said it was only four weeks ago that
he returned from trip through Ireland and
while there he made as close and careful a
study as he could of the condition of politics
and he found that the majority of the young
men were with Mr.. Parnell. Notwithstanding
this Mr.. Parnel was defeated. This he as
cribed to the influence of the clergy.
APPEALS AND PROTESTS.
At this point letters were read from DR..
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