The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-09-25
irish Societies MEET
Interesting Sessions in the Interest
OF Freedom Held at Chicago.
CHAIRMAN FINERTY'S ADDRESS
Review Of the Efforts of the Advocates
of Irish Independent nee Tribute to
LabOrs of the Fcnians-An Address
That Provoked Loud Applause.

Chicago. Sept. 2i.-The convention OF
Irish societies was called To order at
noon by j. j. O'tonneil, chairman OF
the local committee. At the time only
about half the seats were occupied.
From a large number OF places in
Massachusetts. Connecticut. Pcnnsyl-
vania and Wisconsin and some of the
southern states the dispatches read in
this Stcreotypcd form:
''tod-Speed the new movement for
Ireland nation separate and inde-
pendent"
Ex-Congrcssman John i. Finerty, Of
this city. was greeted with prolonged
applause on being presented as tenn
porary chairman. The original and
subsequent calls were read 10y John l..
sutton. of New York, secretary of the
Irish National League Of America, to-
Eether with Il resume ol che tc!tgraphic
dispa tches.
AS Secretary Sutton read the cable
grams he omitted the names of the
SignerS. A delegate from New York
demanded to know who signed the mes
sages, and the secretary brusquely re-
spondcd, "Ncne of your business. The
men who signed these messages are not
going to expose themselves to the Brit
ish government" This was applauded
by portion of the convention and
there were no further Interruptions.
In calling the convention to order
Mr. O'Connell said that it was a spon-
taneous congress of the people of the
Irish race, born of the fact that the
lrish-Amcricans were dissatisfied with
the parliamentary campaign on the
other side. and of the further fact that
the parliamentary party had betrayed
It's supporters and proved faithless to
with
applause, which was renewed when the
speaker concluded by prophecyng that
out of this convention would be born
and established an Irish republic built
on the plans Of this great republic.
Chairman Fincrty's Address.
Chairman Finerty delivered the OPEN
ing address. Briefly reviewing the sue
cesslve efforts for centuries of the advo-
Gates of Irish independence he said
that whenever the Irish fought the
British on the open field they lost less
people than they lost since the passage
of the union act. Fenians were the
first body that ever made the English
government listen to reason. Great
applause)
England had passed a bill. a sort OF
home rule bill but between it and the
house of commons stood an immovab BILE
barrier of terror and tyranny in the
shape of the house of lords. Should the
irish race give up the struggle because
the house of lords says that 1t shall
remain enslaved? There We're cries of
NO in response TO this interroga tory,
and the speaker went on to say the
Noes came from 20,00000O of Irish
hearts on this continent and from So
100000 more of all nationalities whose
hearts beat in sympathy with Ireland's
l,..
that the convention might do some
thing to implicate the government of
the United States with England. Did
the display of Stars and Stripes before
them? Did showing of national colors
all about them intimate that they in
tended to do anything that would har-
rass the American government? CCries
of MOI
Let me remind him that there were
thousands of places in the United
States that bore the name of Lafayette,
who broke the neutrality laws to aid
the struggle for American indepen-
dence. Neutrality laws stand as Moth
ing against a nations freedom" went
on the speaker, while the audience
cheered and shouted in turns. "else
what mean these overwhelming mani
festations of sympathy for Cuba
our country. I am about
as loyal as any man to the American
nag and a respector of American laws,
but ! would not be ashamed to stand
ON the platform with Lafayette. with
Dekalo and with Pulaski and hail the
superb vision of hundred thousand
armed men breaking the neutrality
laws to liberate Cuba, or Of a half-mii-
lion breaking them with England in be-
half of lrelands independence.
Great cheeringD
Ine chairman resumed his seat amid
that continued for several mo-
ments.
The committee on credentials and
permanent organization were appoint-
ed ana the convention took a recess OF
an hour.
when the convention reconvened the
committee on permanent organization
reported in favor of continuing the
temporary officers. and John ~. Fin
nerty resumed the chair.
A number of greetings from this
country and Great Britain were read
at the afternoon session. Some of the
messages pledged funds without limit.
a lengthy despatch from the Emmett
Guards. of Philadelphia. ended: The
movement must end only in the COM
plete autonomy of Ireland" About 700
delegates, representing nearly every
state and territory We're in attendance
at the afternoon session. The dele
gates will reassemble tomorrow morn
ing.