The herald., 1896-02-24
Protest Against Cruelty Toward
Political Prisoners
J. F. EGAN AND HIS MISSION
Is EIoquently Referred to By the Able
Speakers
Resolutions Adopted Demshding the immedl-
ate Release of Men Imprisoned for Of.
lenses Against English Domination
Associated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
NEW YORK. Feb. 23.-The Grand opera
house was crowded with Irish men and wo-
men tonight, who met to demonstrate their
fealty and devotion for the land of their
birth and to voice their sentiments regard.
ing the release of the Irish and Irish-Amsr-
ican political prisoners ia, English jails.
Edward O'Flaherty presided, and in his
opening address told of the horrors which
political prisoners were forced to endure in
English prisons, and introduced Judge
Fitzgerald as the speaker of the evening.
On the platform besides Judge Fitzgerald
were John Henry Mccarthy, president of
the board of aldermen; John j. Lemon, Dis
trct attorney John II. Fellows, Hon. Will
lam Lyman, president Of the Irish National
Alliance of America; O'Donovan Rosa,
Professor John P. Brophy, Rev. Father
Smith of Boston, James j. Haggerty,
national delegate of the A. o. H.; Council
lor M. j. Langan. Vice President b. }. By
ron and Councillor M. Il. Sharkey.
Judge Fitzgerald, after relating the his
tory of the mission of James f. Egan to
this country in behalf of the political pris-
oners, said
The voice of New York goes forth to-
night in sympathy with the men of our
race and nationality who are pinng for
Ireland's cause in Epgland's hideous dun
geons.
who are these men and why are they
thus detained behind prison bars? They
are Irishmen having the courage of their
convictions, and because they dared speak
the sentiments of their loyal hearts hey
are doomed to rot in English jails. They
are men who have been time and time
again honored by their fellow-countrymen
at home and abroad, and it is because of
that fact that they are SO cruelty treated
today.
England. in her foreign policy, assumes
to be one of the great powers with desire
to have her hand in the pie. Once in
awhile, in order. as it were, to show her So
called strength, she sends her navies in
front of defenseless cities, as she did
at Alexandria, and bombarded the unpro-
tected city until her redcoats and mercen-
aries found access through the gates of the
devastated city to procure their plumber.
England continued Judge Fitzgerald.
"is continually apoloeizing to the civilized
world for her treatment OF Ireland and
will continue to do so to her everlasting
shame, until Irishmen arise in their might
and sunder the yoke forever. To accom-
plish that most desirable of ends it will be
necessary to have marshailed an army
such as stood behind Parneil in his dayr
and today still believe III the trulStn OF
O'Connell that England's difficulty is
Ireland's opportunity"
John r. Fellows and others made brief
addresses.
William Lyman proposed the following
resolutions, which were adopted unani-
mously, and the meeting came to a close:
Resolved, that we, citizens of this great
republic, composed of every nationality,
in public meeting assembled do row de-
mand the immediate restoration to liberty
of all men incarcerated in British prisons
for offenses against British domination in
Ireland; that we believe these prisoners
are entitled to. such liberty by the usage
aud customs of nations laying claim to
civilization and that Great Britain by de-
laying, places herself without the pale of
honorable consideration, and
Whereas, among the prisoners there are
a number of American citizens. be it also
Resolved, That we urge upon our gov
ernnent the necessity for taking immedi-
ate steps to secure the release of these
American citizens, and of interesting itself
for the sake of international decency and
common humanity in behalf of these fell
low prisoners: be it further
Resolved, That copies of these resolu-
tions be sent to the president of the United
States, to the members of the cabinet. to
the members of congress, and also to the
home secretary and her Britannia majes-
tvs ministers.