The Irish standard., 1896-01-25
TIE .NL " NOV lRENl
"a Correspondent Takes Exceptions to
Things That Have Been Said.

=
T:siags That Have Been Said.
Editor Irish Standard. s5ts 81 y
Your reply to my charges against the
| Irish National Alliance. z While admitting
the force OF the facts / preser.ed, 1ngeni-
ously tries to parry by plausible, sophistry
the: crushing blow from the heads OF the
mushroom leaders Of that sham organiza-
ton. I acknowledge your courtesy and
concede your ability and earnestness in
discussing these issues that mean so much
to our common country, but beg leave to
dissent from your conclusions reiterate
the statement in my former letter that the
heads Of the movement" do not possess
the confidence of the Irish people either
in this country or across the Atlantic.
You ask: Must every man who carries
sword in Ireland's behalf wear a spotless
robe? and Irelands ex!les answer: Their
leaders must be men in whom they have
confidence; men who have not Joined the
movement for what they can make out of
it in American politics.; men who nave
been tried and found true; not men who
came into the movement when it was at
its zenith, to try and use it for their own
personal benefit; not men who assisted
in the steal of over a quarter OF million
dollars and left Ireland's war chest empty;
not men who condoned the most coWardly
and brutal murder on record; not men
who by wholesale perjury thwarted Amer
lean law in bringing to Justice the planner
of that horrible crime; not men VINO are
holding out one hand for the hard-earned
money of the honest and enthusiastic
Irish patriot and pointing with the other
hand to the men "now standing In the
gap and saying to the British govern
ment: These are the men who are FOSTER
ing treason against you; not men whom
seven out of every ten advanced Irish
nationalist believe are in the pay OF the
British secret service. You say, LET the
lofty and pure minded advance to the
front and proclaim themselves ready to
take a new distinct and independent
course. - There is no occasion for such as
the "old movement" which struck terror
to the British government in 1866 and
later in Australia in 1876, when the "Fe-
nian boys were rescued from their life
dungeons by their exiled brothers in this
country is found to be just the thing for
true Irish patriots and is now sweeping
over the country from Portland, Maine, to
San Francisco, and from Duluth to Pen
saco]a. Old men who had got careless and
young men in the full bloom of manhood
are Joining it for the reason that they
have confidence in their leaders and know
it is the only Irish revolutionary organ.za-
ton that have any connection or is recog-
nized by the people of Ireland. 1t has
already struck the s"Twin Cities and I
suppose some of the wind bags feel sore
over it, as there is no chance for the pro-
fessional Irishmen who may wag their
jaws for one hundred dollars night and
lease of champagne" thrown in to thrive
under it's auspices. You also say, LET the
new movement be closely scanned, and
when it IS seen that the blind are being
led by the corrupt and unworthy, let the
warning cry be raised and prompt meas
ures in opposition be taken" We tried
utilization with those people in 1888 for
the sake of Ireland, and what was the
result? The cowardly murder of an hon
est, ardent Irish patriot and American cit
izen for the purpose Of destroying evidence
which was damning to the character of
some of the tidols' Of your new. move
ment. Do you. think the American people
would entrust their army to the command
of Benedict Arnold; or would you ell
trust you business to the care of a dis
honest manager? Why then do you ask
the Irish people to place themselves in
the hands of men who have been tried
and found wanting?
AN IRISH NATIONALIST.