Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-24
EXPRESSION OF IRISH SENTIMENT.
Mass Meeting In sympathy with thc
poItticnl prtsoncrs.

NEW YORK, Feb. 2S.-The Grand opera
house was crowded with Irish men and
women tonight who met to demonstrate their
fealty and devotion TO the land Of their
birth and to voice their sentiments regard
ing the release Of the Irish and Irish-Amer-
lean political prisoners in English jais. Ed
ward O'Flaherty presided and in his open
ing address told Of the horrors which the
political prisoners we're forced to endure In
English prisons, and then introduced Judge
James Fitzgerald as tie speaker of the even
ing. On the platform. besides Judge Fitz-
gerald, were John Henry Mccarthy, presi-
dent OF the board of aldermen John j. Fro
lomon, District Attorney John r. Fellows,
Hon. William Lyman, president of the Irish
National alliance of America; ODonovan
Rosa, Prof. John p. Brophy, Rev. Father
Smith OF Boston, James j. Haggerty, ma
tional delegate of the Ancient Order of Hi
bsrnians (B Of E); Councillor NJ J. Ian
gan Vice President p. J. Byron and Coun-
cior NJ. T, Sharkey.
Judge Fitzgerald, after relating the his
tory OF the mission of James Il. Egan to
this country ON behalf of the political prls-
oners, said The voice of New York goes
forth tonight in sympathy with the men Of
our race and nationality who are pining
for Ireland's cause in England's hdeous dun
geons.
who are these men and why are they
thus detained behind prison bars? They are
Irishmen having the courage of their convic-
tions, and because they dared speak the sem
timent of their loyal hearts they are doomed
to rot in England's jails. They are men
who have been time and again honored by
their fellow countrymen at home and abroad,
and 1t 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 10 have her
hand in the pie. Once in while, in order,
as 1t were. to show her so-called strength,
she sends her navies in front Of defenseless
cities, such as she did at Alexandria, and
bombarded the unprotected city until her
redcoats and mercenaries found access,
through the gates OF the devastated city, to
procure their plunder"
England" continued Judge Fitzgerald,
''is continually apologiZing to the civilized
world for her treatment of Ireland, and will
ever continue to dc so, to her everlasting
shame, until Irishmen arise in their might
and sunder the hated yoke forever. To ac-
complish that most desirable of ends 1t viii
be necessary to have marshaled an army
such as stood behind Parnell in his day.
and today l still believe in the truism OF
O'Connel that Erglands difficulty is Ire
lands opportunity
John r. Fellows and others made brief
addresses.
William Lyman proposed the following res
olutions, which were adopted unanimously,
and the meeting came to a close:
Resolved, That we citizens of this great
republic, composed of every nationality, in
public meeting assembled, do now demand
the immediate restoration to liberty of all
men incarcerated in British prisons for Of
fenses against British domination in Ire
land; that we believe these prisoners are
entitled TO such liberty by the usage and
customs of nations laying claim to civiliza-
ton and that Great Britain by delaying
it, places herself without the pale of
honorable consideration and.
Whereas, Among the prisoners there are
a number of American citizens, be ii also
Resolved, That we urge upon our gov
ernment the necessity for taking immediate
steps to secure the release of these Ameri-
can citizens and of interesting itself for the
sake of international decency and common
humanity in behalf of their fellow prisoners.
Be II furthermore,
Resolved, That copies of these resolutions
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 majesty 5
minister's