The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1895-10-02
1 BLOW FOR FREEDOM.
An Irish American Convention at
Chicago Proposes
To Resort to the Use of Force In Breaking
the Yoke that Chains the Emerald Isle
to England-Vl0lent Speeches
Vociferously Applauded.


marked yesterdays inauguration of the
new movement" for Ireland's inde-
pendence. In a great gathering of
men of Irish blood from every quarter
of the United States, the preliminary
steps were taken for fresh worldwide
effort of the race in behalf of their
motherland. The convention was held
in the magnificent new Y. NJ. c. A.
building and started with the distinc-
ton of being the first assemblage of
the kind held in America within TWEEN
ty years not linked with the idea of
main reliance upon parliamentary agi-
tation. A return to what they termed
first principles seemed to be the idea
permeating the delegates.
In calling the convention to order
Mr.. j. ]. O'Connell, of the local COM
mittee, said that it was spontaneous
congress OF the people of the Irish race,
born of the fact that Irish Americans
were dissatisfied with the parliament
ary campaign on the other side, and Of
the further fact that the parliament
ary party had betrayed its supporters
and proved faithless to its trust.
EX-Congressman John T. Finerty, of
this city, was greeted with prolonged
applause on being presented as tempo
rary chairman.
Chairman Finerty delivered the opening adj
dress. Briefly reviewing the successive efforts
| for centuries Of the advocates Of Irish inde-
pendence, he said that whenever the Irish
fought the British on the open field they lost
| less people than they had lost since the passage
OF the union act. The Fenians were the first
| body that had ever made the English govern
ment listen to reason. England had passed
sort of home rule bill, but between 1t and house
of commons stood an immovable barrier of ter
ror and tyranny in the shape Of the house OF
| lords. While that barrier stood there was
no show for the Irish to obtain even mod
| icum OF justice Should the great Irish race
give up the struggle because tho house OF lords
says that 1t shall remain enSlayed: There we're
| prolonged cries OF No" in response to this in
terrogatory, and the speaker went on TO say
that they came from twenty millions OF Irish
hearts on this continent and from fifty millions
more OF allnationalities whose hearts beat in
| sympathy with Ireland's struggle
| We are here to proclaim to the world that
the Irish race is neither dead nor disheartened.
We are not of breed that runs out There
| are more of uS now than ever before. We are
q wall OF fire that cun never be eXtinguiShed.
| We will never give up the struggle. We are
here to consolidate oil forces for an aggressive
move against England whenever VIC can strike
| her under the law OF nations She is surround
| ed by enemies, France, Germany and Russia
| all hate her. For twenty-five years the foreign
| policy of America has not been what II should
be, and II this government had been as patriotic
| as is the American nation, the day that the
British marines landed in Corinto would have
heard the broadsides Of the American feet
From to-day, he concluded let us inaugurate
the new movement. Let us work for the eStab-
lishnIent Of an Irish republic free and inde-
pendent
The afternoon session was of short
duration and devoted to the appoint
ment of committees and other routine
business Greetings from Boston,
Philadelphia, Albany, N. Y; Augusta,
Ca; San Francisco, Holyoke, Mass,
and other cities were read. About ZOO
delegates, representing every state and
territory, were in attendance.
CHICAGO, Sept. 20. - Revolution"
written in big, flaming letters, was the
text of Wednesdays proceedings of
the Irish national convention, and,
when the body adjourned last evening
to await the reports of the committees
on resolutions and ways and means,
there did not remain a doubt in the
mind of single delegate regarding
the exact purpose and policy of those
whose call had summoned them to Chi
cago. There was no beating about the
bush no dealing in honied phrases in
the gathering. 1t was boldly declared
by Irish-Americans from different parts
of the country, some of them men OF
national reputation, that no matter
what the sentiments of the American
governmet or the American people
might be, the time had arrived for the
Irish in America to abandon constitu-
tional agitation, to take up the sword
and to seek the independence OF their
isle by the use of deadly weapons,
| The organization of standing army,
ready to do battle whenever the oppor-
tunity should present itself, was advo-
cated amid frantic enthusiasm which
eliminated in a wild scene when
New York delegate named the chair
man, ex-Congressman John T. Finerty,
as the first president of the Irish re-
public of the near future.
Hatred of England and everything
English was expressed in vehement
language in every speech and the
cheers and yells of approval were in
terlarded with boots, Kisses and groans
for the powers that be across the At
lantic. AS to the matter of ways and
means, it was insisted that the dele
gates and those beside them had been
instrumental in securing large pro-
portion of the hundreds OF thousands
of dollars which have been collected
and forwarded to the Irish parliament
ary party during the past five years,
and that ten times the total thus col
lected would be contributed by the
Irish race In America upon the pledge
that the monies would be used in pre-
pairing for fight in the OPEN" Nor
ris w. Willher, Of Philadelphia, and
O'Neil Ryan, Of 81. Louis, the rec
ognized Irish American leaders of their
respective states, and 0'Donovan Rosa
who was introduced as the world re-
nowned and unconquerable Irish lead
err" are the men selected to gather the
sinews of war.
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