Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-10-03
SECRETARY SUTTON
Issues Z Report TO the Irish
National League,
Ia Which II. Parnal md President
FITZGERALD arc Mentioned.

Ia Which nf. Pafnal mo PfeSloea
| Fitzgerald ars Mentioned.
Attempts Of Soreheads 10 Impair th,
/ Work Of the National League.
il CHICAGO, Oct l-Seeretary John Z
Sutton submitted repcr. to the Irisl
National League today, in which be says
"At the convention At Chicago in August
1886, President John Fitzgerald Was do
clafed elected by the ea-fourIhs Of the ~
sembIed delegates. President Fiixgerait
returned home in the whole belisf that tht
greater organic ed body Of Irish Americans
stood behind him united like brothers in
the holy esuse Of Irish liberty.
He found bis mistake. Covardly con-
spirators, who, falling in their vile purpose
Of creating dssension and disunion, had
sneaked Gus like beaten ours from the las
Chicago convention. renewed, under the
cover Of secret plots, their attempt u de
moralze and disrupt the league.
Beginning with letter from Mr.. Parnell
q few weeks after the Chicago convention
entYeatinz President Fitzgerald 10 raise
funds to help the unfortunate, eylctsd ten
ants of Ireland. As the treasury Of the Irish
League xas almost exhausted, ihe report
outlines startling nsrrailye. With letters
and kilograms in chronological order, ta
show tha1 time and again the convention
Of the Amsricau Lssgue was prevented
from across the wa;er, while the Off GERS OF
The league, Tor not holding one, we're
abused BY the factionists in this country,
encouraged by Mr.. Parnell and his col
leagues, who are exhibited 40 sedulously
! ignoriag the league Off sials wheaever oP-
portunity offered.
| President Fitzgerald 10 stated to have
headed the anti-eviction fund with per
,onsi sub, CT i ption of $4,000 and 10 have
raised nearly 500, 900 In his efforts for The
strug Cling farmers in Ireland, "while 4
reverend editor in Buffalo WAS sneeriug at
| his want Of education.
| One peculiar disclosure made by Secre-
tsry Sutton is that during October, 1888,
| Parnell, finding himself bo oand by an agree
me nj TO turn over TO his lawyers the Iall
amount of the Times defence fund, tht n
une nexpsctedly large, begged of President
| Fiz gerald, through James j. Okelley. to
to have the fund retained in America. The
wishes Of Mr.. Parnell were complied with,
| Says the report, ''very soon howl came
| from the handful Of fsctionis.s in Chicago,
| New York and Philsdelphis who acted eL-
ergetically in behalf of The London Times
| by sowing the seeds of misrrust in their
statement, that Rev. DIR. O'Reiily was re-
tanning money for improper purposes"
The information from Timothy Harring-
| ton that money was retained at Mr.. Par
nelrs request, the report says, did not
prevent them from continuing to raise the
same charge, as their only objec! was 10
burst up every Irish organization in
America.
| The climax OF Mr.. Sutton sidocument is 8
letter dated House Of Commons, London,
May 81, 1890, from John Dillon to Presi-
dent FITZGERALD, marked ''sIictly conf
deniiaI," saying Mr.. PArneg' susg s,ed
| that the executive should addfess com
muncatinn to him (Parneil) on the recog-
nized difficulties created by the American
party complications and sdyising that
he (PsrneIi) should take steps to re-
construct the present. ugSnizstion
| in such manner as woeld allow
the various branches TO communicate ditect
with Dublin. II tie executive can see a
way to &C. upon the suggesii n, Mr.. Parnell
authorizes me to say, ia reply to com.
muniestion from them, that he will himself
write, thanking them TO, the great services
to the Irish cause, and strongly disapprov-
| ing of the attacks that have been made upon
them. s.aiing that, having inquired into the
| chArges made agar 81 The executive OF the
league, he is sat SIZED they are utterly with
out foundation"
1 ValI Vln lxtn
I'VE cannot but dissent from the supposl-
ton that American politics have in any
way interfered with or complicated the
admin stration of the league. The record
shows, vhile the members Of the executive
are Of different political affiliations, they
are unanimous in their resolve to prevent
any such interference with the government
Of the league. As to the uudssirability
Of central organization in America,
that 10 q question which pertsins exclu-
sively to your jurisdiction. Regarding the
proposition Of addressing = letter to Mr..
Parnell, recognizing the difficulties ere
ated by the American party complications
and advising that he should take steps to
reconstruct the present organisation il
su. h manner as would allow the various
branches to communicate direct with Dub
lin, the conscience of the executive caOnos
conform to it.
We sfe not now nor have we ever been
unmindful Of the fact that We took the office
under pledges to conduct the league as a
body auxiliary to the national party in Ire
land, and as tuch We have always been
guided by their advice and difecIioa- We
do not propose at this late date to adopt q
d ferens policy but We are not seeking q
certificate Of character from any one for
having scted 10 every ir stance in conform
ity with PArnelrs express desires
| M. v. Cannon of Omaha was elec' ed
president Secre.4ty Sut,on was reelected.
| Gleason of Cleveland chairman Of the
lmmit,ee on const tiiion, submitted a
plan which made no mention OF the parent
| BODY in Ireland, thus 6ivesting the Ameri-
can body from tjection to the control OF
responsibility 10 diverse organizations eT-
istiuQ in Ireland. A clsuee in the cOnsti-
tuition virtually making one OF the objects
Of the league the boycotting in America oi
importa,.ons Of goods of English manufsc-
t1rers was carried.
The following platform was reported.
The Irish National League Of America
ties ifies its devotion to thei flag Of the
Union and the unq qaenchsbIe love OF it,
members for the laws and institution OF
our glorious country, recognizing as We do
our primary allegiance due to that flag and
10 those institutions We affirm our over
mastering desire TO see extended to oui
motherland the tensf.s sccruing from eq ua
laws such ss have blessed America
We regret the conditions now exist
ing in Ireland, and attribute theil
Jssibiiiiy to the unfortunate tendency
toward hero worship and one man
domination We hope to see oblit
Grated from the public life Of ireland. We
have no desire nor do we deem it wise
necessary or patriotic to pass judgment
lupon the questions now separating oul
brethren in the old land. We heretofore
have tendered our good Gfices in the ad
iu.sment Of these differences, Ard tbs
tender was wholly disrs gsrded by the con
tending elements; it is the duy Of th'
Irish to seek freedom bf pesces bl'
metf DDS snd oily when ich methods Ar
fally uisd and found xsnting are ns'ion
aud peoples j1stiied in Eesofting - force
We st,osgly AID emphs'ically assert tha
i: is equaIlSa duty 70 prepare for evsI.
; emerge ncy and stand ready 10 lid our kin
dred in every manly way recognized sn
commended b. usage ant civilization. W
cali upon those resp Jnsiole for the lockinl
up of over s2l0. .000 maiply contributed B.
the people Of this couotry for the suppof
Of evicted tenants On The pisn Of compais
' 10 raise the same, distribute it - was orig
I,nslIy intended b. the subscribers, piedg
ourselves until this :, quest Is complied wit
We are resolved NOS To contributed anutne
dollar to the sid Of those who vithhei
this money from The ls climate benehciarie'
We hereby resolys to ma ntain our organ