The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-05-30
, AMERICANS and IRELAND.
&. ~ &
Roger Vail Discusses the Question
of Amnesty in the Dublin Free
mans Journal.
TIE PROTECTION OF OUR FLAG
How the American People Regard the
& Deplor able Factions In
4# " Ireland.
RE PROTECTION OF OUR FLAG

An esteemed correspondent writing
from the city Of Minneapolis Minnesota,
on April 22d, describes strong meeting
dealing with burning Irish affairs held
the previous evening. He says:
Last evening great mass meeting OF
American citizens of the various nation
altties that compose our complex popuia-
ton was held in this northwestern city
of 200, 900 inhabitants to express sympa-
thy with the Irish American political
prisoners now incarcerated in British
bastiles, and whose inhuman sutrer1ngs
have touched the hearts of the liberty
loving people Of this free country, who
have not forgotten the cruelties perpe-
trated on American patriots who fell into
the hands of the British when they arose
in revolutionary days to achieve their IN
dependence and cast off for ever their al
legiance to the British king and parlla-
ment. oliver Woodruff, one Of the Amer
lean prisoners, relates how cruelty
treated his fellow prisoners were. Not
only were they starved, but many OF them
were poisoned for the sake OF their
watches and silver buckles. Provost Mar
shall Cunningham, who was afterwards
executed in London for forgery, said IN
ulS uyluS W coo AAS@uO PAO
vost marshal Of the Royal army, which
Americans. I shudder to think OF the
murders I have caused. In New York
city there were more than 1000 prison
eres starved by stopping their ratlons,
which I sold. There were also 275 prls-
oners executed. The people on the street
were ordered at midnight to put out their
lights and not appear at the windows,
on pain Of death. Then the unfortunate
prisoner was gagged and hung and
buried"
The American people are familiar with
the atrocities and cruelties inflicted on
the revolutionary patriots who fell into
the hands of such tyrants as Cunning
ham, and they know that the American
citizens Of Irish birth or descent, now
undergoing imprisonment in the dun
geons of England for alleged political
offenses are receiving the same brutal
treatment. They have read Of the suffer-
iDgs of Downward, the Prisoner OF
Chillon,'' from the pen of Lord Byron,
but he spent only six years In captivity,
while some Of the 1rish-American pris-
oners have been consigned to "fetters and
the damp vaults gloom for twice that
period Of time.
The American people have read the in
terview of poor McCulloch, who was re-
Gently liberated from prison only to die,
and who said Of John Daily, that che is
quite grey and very much broken down"
They have also read John Daly's own let
ter to his brother, in which he says--"I
had a spider in the cell a few days ago,
who got to know me right we'll, and when
/ got fond of him they killed him." The
hri} feb ios1 in orb icI nrVo1<y>
have surpassed the jailors of Downward
in this respect, for Lord Byron, though
making his illustrious prisoner say
that
With spiders had friendship made,
And watched them in their sullen trade,
does not asesrt that the creatures were
killed to deprive the captive Of the pleas
'ure of their company.
It is not surprising, therefore, that
Americans who can trace their pedigree
to Revolutionary sires were outspoken in
their condemnation of British tyranny
last evening in the big mass meeting in
this city. The Hon. Loren Fletcher, men,
Der of congress from this dictrict, elected
rapturcus applause when he said: II
have just come from Washington and
from contact there with my fellow-con-
gressmen and find a growing spirit in
this country to assert our Ameircanism.
The protection of the American flag in
every country is what this government
will insist upon We must strengthen
our navy and coast defenses and prepare
to assert our Americanis1n at the proper
time. We will not stand the bulldozing
and domineering of England any longer.
This country has no trouble to get along
with every other nation on the planet ex-
cept England, and it's looks as If the
matter must some day be fought out.
When that time comes the Irish people
will find their opportunity to achieve
the independence which they have COW
eted for so many years. We are going to
assert the Monroe doctrine if we have TO
fight for it,"
Addresses in the same vein were made
by Hon. VIM. Henry Eustis, the mayor
OF Minneapolis who gave banquet to
Lord Mayor Shanks. of Dublin, during
Marion Shutter, pastor of the Universal
list church in this city; by Hon. Moses f..
Clapp, ex-attorney- general of Minnesota;
by Hon. Frank NJ. Nye, attorney of Hen
nepin county, and brother Of the late
"Bill Nye,' the great humorist. All the
speakers without exception are Amer1-
cans Of English descent without drop
of Irish blood coursing through their
veins
The following resolutions were unani-
n1ously adopted, and will be introduced
by Hon. Loren Fletcher in congress
Whereas, in Portland prison, England,
there are confined four American citi-
,zens, DR.. Thomas Gallagher, Albert G..
Whitehead. and Henry H. Wilson, since
June 14th 1888, all undergoing sentence
of imprisonment for the alleged crime Of
treason felony against the British crown,
and
Whereas, DR.. Gallagher and Albert G..
Whitehead, although driven insane from
the constant and studied brutality of
their keepers, are still subjected to cruel
penalties for infraction Of prison rules
which their mental condition renders it
impossible for them to discern, and
Whereas, Henry H. Wilson, and limo
thy Featherstone are being fast brought
to the condition. of their unfortunate COM
patriots by system, not of correction,
but vindictive, barbarous and implacable
hatred of people whose only crime ID
love OF the God-given birthright Of liber-
ty and antional independence, and,
Whereas. American citizenship, while
amenable to the forms of. even an Eng
lisn trial Of an Irish political prisoner,
should at least protect the helpless pris-
oner from the murder which II inflicted
by degrees is only to prolong tho agony
Of the victim, therefore be 1t
Resolved by the citizens of Mtnneapo-
III - 10