Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-10-02
WHAT FRESHMEN WANT.
Tc Make "Difficulty" for England
So They Can Have an SOP
pOrtunity."


Chicago, ILL.,, September 26.-Today's
session Of the Irish new movement con-
vention was generally regarded as the
most important of ALL The principal
business on the programme was the con.
sideratiOn of the platform submitted by
the committee on resolutions and the re,
port of the committee on ways and means
for national organization. The delegates
waited with eagernesS for an outline of
these two reports.
On the committee on resolutions were
NJ. Morgan of Wisconsin, Il. V. McCau,
ley, Jr., of Michigan and r. Walsh OF.
Minnesota. L. j. Corners of Wisconsin,
E. NJ. Sayers of Michigan and +. j. Fin,
nucane of Minnesota were members Of
the committee on ways and means for la.
tiOnal organization.
O'Neill Ryan of st. Louis was greeted
with enthusiastic cheers when. as chair
man of the committee on resolutions, he
stepped forward to read the platform
proposed for the consideration of the coii-
vention. His powerful voice, and the
impressive silence of the delegates made
a deep impression as he proceeded to
read, under the title of a declaration of
principles" the following:
The people of Ireland are a sovereign
people. Ireland is by nature separate from
every other country and liberty is the
birthright Of her people Ireland was
known throughout Europe as nation long
before the dawn Of Christianity and was
the home of civilization while England
was still barbarous.
Engand'S claims to authority in Ireland
originated in lorce, and have been main
tanned by corruption and coercion; they
have never ripened into right to rule;
the title by conquest has never been per-
fected inasmuch as the Irish people have
continuously by constitutional agitation or
revolutionary movements resisted Eng
lands power and endeayored to destroy
her unlawful supremacy.
Ireland is deprived of almost every civil
right which the American people most
dearly cherish. Unexampled cruelty and
gushing features of English rule in Ire
land. England has destroyed IreIands in
dustries and injured her commerce.; she
has placed upon her statute books laws
making it crime to educate an Irish child:
she burned Ireland's schoOlhouses and de-
stroyed her churches; she has driven into
exile or left to perish in her dungeons
love of Ireland. Every measure for the
last century looking towards legislative
independence Of the Irish people has either
suffered defeat in the Commons or been az
bitrarily rejected by the Lords. England
has violated every treaty and broken every
pledge and with almost every year of the
century she has imposed upon Ireland Dru-
tai laws of coercion, and one of the most
drastic character is now upon her statute
books.
and their prayer for mercy, England has
responded with the scourge and the scat
fold, and yet today, Ireland, enthralled
but not enslaved crushed but not con-
Quered Is in spirit a nation.
1t has become evident after many years
of earnest endeavor to obtain a measure
of independence from the Enlish govern
ment by peaceful agitation that appeals
to reason for justice futile 1t is left
therefore for the men of Irish race to pro-
claim again the truth recorded by all his
tory that the liberties of people and
the independence of a nation cannot be
achieved by debate but must be won upon
the field of battle, and we declare our be-
lief that the men of Ireland who are be-
ing driven into exile or into the graves
of serfs in their native land by English mis-
government are entitled by the laws of
power to drive from their country the
tyrant and usurper. and we believe that
ireland has the right ''to make England's
difficulty her opportunity" and to use all
possible means to create that difficulty.
In view of these facts the members of
this convention appeal with confidence to
their American fellow citizens and all low
ers of liberty to cooperate with them in
aiding the people of Ireland in the achieve
ment of the same measure of liberty en-
joyed in these United States.
Distinct from the declaration of prin-
ciples, Chairman Ryan also submitted
on behalf of the resolutions committee
three separate resolutions as follows:
Resolved, that we earnestly protest
against the continued incarceration in Eng
fish prisons of Irish patriots; that
consider it inhuman and against the policy
of civilized nations to keep in prison men
who have acted only in the interest of
their country and human liberty, and that
the release of these men is imDeratively
demanded, not only by the Irish people,
but by civilization.
Resolved that this convention expresses
the hope that the people of Cuba, who are
struggling for political independence and
the establishment of a republic, will be
successful and that we extend to them
our heartfelt sympathy.
Resolved that this convention, recogniz-
ing the Importance to the Irish nation of
preserving the language, literature and mu-
sic of the people. commends the work now
being done by the Gaelic league and the
National Literary society in Ireland and
by the Gaelic societies of this country and
earnestly trusts our people will give them
hearty co-Opera ton and generous support.