The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-09-26
CALL FOR army.
To Fight For IreIand's Freedom From
Great Britain's Rule.
"wHleeERY IN IRISH POLITICS.
Hears Its "Death Knell" Rung
Out at Chicago.

CHICAGO, sept. 26.-With renewed vlgOr
the delegates to the Irish convention began
their second days work at Association
hall. Little time was lost In preliminar-
les and the election of permanent officers
was put through Rt n rapid pace. the fol-
lowing officers being unanimously elected:
j. II. Finerty, chairman; j. p. Sutton,
secretary; J. +. Heating, L. II. McGrevy
and j. o. Strain, assistant secretaries;
j. NJ Kennedy, Montana; @. ID. O'Brien,
St. Paul; c. f. Driscoll New Haven; p. j.
Judge, Holyoke; Cornelius Harding, Pitts
burg, vice presidents.
Any doubts as to the earnestness Of the
"new movement" toward freedom for Ire
land were set at rest when Chairman
Finerty declared for an Irish American
standing army, which shall be ready to do
battle for Ireland whenever opportunity
may present itself The boldness Of the
plan, as outlined by the speaker, created a
sensation Tho chairman's views met
with the hearty approval Of the delegates.
He outlined plan by which young Irish
Americans throughout the country shall
be organized into military companies,
which will. as a whole constitute n stand
ing army that may, at q proper time,
strike for Irish liberty
Mr. Finerty's address was made after he
had been chosen permanent chairman.
He said American papers question the
prudence of holding this convention and
debating to us a policy, and hoping we
will do nothing to offend English senti-
ment. What do we care for English senti-
mentf We do not want to offend Ameri-
can sentiment, nor French sentiment, nor
Russian sentiment, but we want to offend
most seriously our hereditary and meroi-
less foe.
A whack at the Press.
1--WE are here today to souiss the death
knell of Whiggery in Irish politics. We
stand on our rights as race TO advocate
the absolute independence OF the land that
gave us and our fathers life Our friends,
the editorial writers, may preach the doc
trincs of prudence. / will remind my
American editorial friends that when
America had a grievance against England
they did not stand on the order on which
they threw the British tea chests into Bos-
ton harbor.
1.-THE English press will say that we are
here for other purposes than the accom-
plshment Of the liberty of Ireland 1t is
physically and morally impossible for the
English press to tell the truth. We do
-
talions Of English spies. We do not care
If all Scotland Yard was within hearing
tonight, because we are meeting in public
and with an avowed purpose"
Continuing the speaker said: eve are
here to institute the sympathy of the
whole world to our cause We are here to
encourage the enlistment of young Irish
men, whether in independent or regular
battalions, to be ready when the time
comes
Mr.. Finerty, having thus outlined the
cause and purpose of the meeting, con-
cluded with a ringing peroration that
brought the audience to its feet again and
again. The close of the speech produced
wonderful scene in its way, the audience
standing and cheering for fully 10 min
utes.
After this, two resolutions were offered
expressing sympathy with the Cuban
revolutions.
Several other resolutions and communi-
cations were then handed In and turned
over to the committee on platform and
resolutions.
A motion that committee of one from
each state be appointed to draft resolu-
tions was adopted.
Several committees were appointed.
William Lyman of New York being ap-
pointed chairman Of the national commit
tee Of ways and means.
Calls were then made for speakers, and
O'Donovan Rosa, ONeil Ryan of st.
Louis, and Delegates O'Leary of Mon
tana, Langdon OF New York and Wilher
Of Pennsylvania responded
Rossa was given an ovation when he
arose to address the meeting He said, in
part: lam not in favor of waiting. In my
Judgment the time to strike is when you
are ready, and the place to strike is Eng
land. All this talk Of organizing to fight
the English out of England is very well, but
1t has no terror for England. She is more
afraid of the Irish in England and ireland
than In any other place. Now is the time
for us to strike, and the quicker the bet
ter"
The other speakers spoke in a similar
strain. The convention then adjourned