The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-09-27
new IRISH MOVEMENT
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
OFTHE IRISH NATIONAL
ALLIANCE.
AN APPEAL TO AMERICAN CITIZENS

AN APPEAL TO AMERICAN CITIZENS
British Rule in Ireland Denounced in
no Uncertain w Words- England Charg-
ed With Destroying Ireland's Indus
tries, Running Her Commerce and
Enslaving the Spirit of the Nation--
The Time Has Come for an Appeal to
Arms Instead of Parliament.
CHICAGO, ILL.,, Sept. 26 6-To-day's ses-
sion of the Irish "New Movement" con.
vention was generally regarded as the
most important of all. The principal
business on the program was the consid-
Grafton of the platform submitted by the
committee On resolutions and the report
of the committee on ways and means for
national organization. The delegates
waited with eagerness an outline of these
two reports.
O'Neill Ryan, OF St. Louis, was greet
ed with enthusiastic cheers when, as
chairman OF the committee on rasolu
tions, he stepped forward to read the
platform proposed for the consideration
of the convention. His powerful voice
and the impressive silen@ o OF the dele
gates made a deep impression as ne pro
ceeded to read, under the tide OF ''de-
claration of principles" F" the fol,owiDg:
''The people of Ireland are a sovereign
people Ireland is by nature separate
from every other country, aud liberty is
the birthright of her people. Ireland
was known throughout Europe as ma
tion long before tue dawn Ct Christiani-
ty, and was the home of civilization
while England was sill barbar )us.
"England's claim TO authority IN Ire
land originated in force and have been
maintained by corruption and coercion;
they have never Tipened into right to
rule; the title by couqu ST has never
been perfected, inasmuch as the Irish has
continuously, by constitutional agitation
or revolutionary movements, resisted
England's power and endeavored to
destroy her unlawful supremacy. Ire
land is deprived of almost every civil
right which the American people most
dearly cherish. Unexampled cruelty and
yindictiveness have been the distinguish
ing features of English rule in Ireland.
"England has destroyed Irela IDS iu-
dustries aud ruined her commerce; she
has placed upon her statute books laws
making it crime to educate an Irish
child; she burned Ireland'5 school
houses and destroyed her churches; she
has driven into exile, or left to perish in
her dungeons, thousands of men, whose
only crime was love of Ireland. Every
measure for the last cent1ry looking to-
ward legislative independence of the
Irish people has either suffered defeat in
the Commons, or been arbitrarily re-
jected by the Lords. England has vio-
lated every treaty and broken every
pledge, and with almost every year of
the century she has imposed upon Ire
land brutal laws of coercion, and one of
the most drastic character is now upon
her statute books.
80 the pleas of the people for justice
and their prayer Of 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 nation.
'sIt has become evident, after many
years of earnest endeavor, TO obtain a
measure of independence from the Eug
lish government by peaceful agitation,
that appeals to reason for justice, are
futile 1t is left, therefore, for the men
of the Irish race to proclaim again the
truth recorded by all history that
the liberties of a people and the
independence of nation cannot be
achieved by debate, but must be won
upon the field Of battle, and we declare
our belief that the men of Ireland WHO
ara Iriyou inf oyifa na inf tho
graves of serfs in their native land by
English misgovernment are entitled by
the laws Of God and man to use every
mea1s in their power to drive from their
country the tyrant and usurper, and we
believe that Ireland has the right to make
Ensland's difficulty her opportunity and
t. use all possible means to create that
difficulty.
Sin view Of these facts, the members
Of this convention appeal with confidence
TO their American fellow citizens and all
lovers of liberty to cooperate with them
in aiding the people of Ireland in the
achievement of the same measure of
liberty enjoyed by these United States. .
Distinct from the ''declaration Of
principles chairman Ryan, also sub
mitted on behalf Of the resolutions com
mittee three separate resolutions, as
follows:
Resolved, That we earnestly protest
against the continued incarceration in
English prisons of Irish patriots; that
we consider it inhuman and against the
policy of civilized nations to keep in
prison men who have acted only in the
interests of their country and human
liberty; and that the release of these
me1 is imperatively demanded, not only
by the Irish people, but by civilization.
Resolved, That this convention ex-
presses the hope that the people OF
Cuba, who are struggling for political
independence and the establishment Of
republic, viii be successful, and that
we extend 10 them our heartfelt sympa-
thy.
Resolved, That this convention, rec
ogniZifg the importance to the Irish