The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1895-09-26
SH-AMERICAN CONVENTION
Second Days Session at Chicago
Yesterday.
chairman Finerty's Plan For an Irish
american Standing Army ALWAYS
Ready to Fight EnRland-Young Irish
mon to be Enlisted All Over the Upited
statea-The Plan Evokes Great Enthu
siasm,

ShlCAGOi sept. 2S.-With renewed
vigor the delegates to the Irish conyen.
ton began here the second days work.
Little time was lost in preliminaries
and the election of permanent officers
was put through at a rapid pace and
with uninterrupted harmony. The re-
port OF the committee on permanent
organization met without the slightest
opposition, the following officers being
unanimously elected:
Hon. j. f. Finersy, chairman; J. p.
Sutton, secretary; j. F. Heating, T. III.
McGrevey and j. o. Strain, assistant
secretaries; vice presidents, j. M. Ken
nedy, Montana; D. G. O'Brien, St. Paul:
.. 4. Driscoll, New Haven; =. j. judge.
Holyoke; Cornelius Harding, Pistsburg.
Considerable enthusiasm was created bv
q motion to add O'Donovan Rosa to the
list OF ice-presidents, but Mr., Rosss de-,
clined.
ANY doubts as to the earneetness of
the new movement towards freedom
for Ireland were sot at rest when Chair.
man Finerty in an address to the con.
vention declared for an Irish American
standing army, which shall be ready
w w DotsAo iOL 1ESl1uu whenever ODOOr-
tunity may present itself. The boldness
OF the plan as outlined by the ardent
speaker created sensation That the
chairman's views met with approval of
the delegates was proved by the hearty
enthusiasm with which his speech was
received. lie outlined plan by which
young rish-Americans throughout the
country shall be organized into military
companies, which will as whole con-
stituse standing army that NAV at
proper time strike for Irish liberty, He
said,
American papers question the pru-
dence OF holding this convention, and
dictate to US policy, hoping we will do
nothing to offend English sentiment.
What 10 we care for English sentiment.
lLaughter) We do not want to offend
American sentiment, nor French senti-
mont nor Russian sentiment, but we
want to offend most seriously our herad.
itary and merciless foe (Cheers.) We
are here day to sound the death
.knel! OF whiggery in Irish politics. We
stand on our rights as race to advo-
cate the absolute independence of the
land that gave US and our fathers life.
Our friends, the editorial writers, NAV
preach the doctrines OF prudence. We
will follow their advice 80 long as It
may be. necessary.
II will remind my American editorial
friends that when America had q etiey-
ance against England they did not stand
on she order on which they threw the
British tea into Boston hsrbor. The
English press will say that we are here
for other purposes than the accomplish
ment of the liberty of ireland. 1t ia
physically and morally impossible for
mol toh
(cheers). We do, however, desire to
tell Britain and France and Russia, and
every other possible enemy OF Britain
that we are in this fight to stay (cheers)
We are not in for one year or three, but
for the war tremendous cheering). We
do not care II all Scotland Yard was
within hearing to- night, because we are
meeting in public and with an avowed
purpose.
England stole our parliament. We
have asked 1t back. We have gone out
Of our way to humiliate ourselves at the
feet OF England. Are we to rem sin thus
forever? We are not here to be told that
we contemplate murder or swindling.
These properties belong to England.
We are here to institute the sympathy
of the whole world to our cause. We
are here to tell our beloved Uncle Sam
that II he draws the sword in defense of
the Monroe doctrine, the Irish OF
America will be behind the stars and
stripes when The struggle commences.
We are here to tell Russia If she desires
the conquest Of India that our hearts
and hands are with her; the French who
hate England, that whenever they get
tangled up in dispute with England
over the colonies that they can rely
upon oursuppors.
1--WE are here to encourage the en-
listment of young Irishmen whether In
independent or regular battalions to be
ready when the time comes" PRO
lonRed cheers)
Mr.. Finerty having thus outlined the
cause and purpose OF the meeting con-
cluded with ringing periorasion that
brought the audience to it's feet again
and again. The close of tho speech
produced wonderful scene in its way,
the audience standing and cheering for
fully ten minutes. After this two reso-
lutions were offered expressing symps-
thy with the Cuban revolutionists
communication WAS presented from the
Polish Alliance of the United States
expressing sympathy with the objects of
the convention. Several other resolu-
tions and commune atoms were then
handed in and ,urned over to the COM
mit.ee on platform and resolutions.
A number OF kilograms and cable
grams received to-day, in addition to
those OF yesterday. approving the con-
vention and indorsing the Cause, were
read by Secretary Sutton.
noticeable fact was that many OF
the kilograms from Ireland came from
the northern end of the island, where
the national IDEA has been supposed to
have but few advocates
Ali these cablegrams were receive
with great applause