The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-08-01
FIGHTING FOR AMNESTY
Splendid Meeting in Chicago in
Behalf of the Imprisoned
Men.
John r. Finerty Is Chosen Chair
man and Makes a Ringing
Speech.
Irishmen in This Country Are not
Going on Bonded Knee to
England.

Going on Bended Knee to
I England.
| Kisses and groans from 5000 sons and
daughters of Erin greeted the names OF
Thomas r. Bayard and Joseph Chamber
lain at Battery d last night, says the
Chicago Times Herald of last Sunday
The building was filled by Irishmen in
an amnesty meeting They came togeth-
er to pass resolutions asking Great Brit
! ain to show mercy toward lrlsh-Amerl-
cans imprisoned for political offenses in
foreign dungeons for fourteen years
I.Speeches were made by United States
Senator Cullom, Governor Altgeld, John
F. Finerty, Rev. DR.. Emil G. Hirsch and
! Colonel Marcus Cayanaugh.
! Mr. Finerty lampooned Ambassador
Bayaru as a toady to British royalty, and
at the mention Of Mr.. Bayard's name
the audience burst into storm of Kisses
and groans.
eve have been told by that peculiar
| product of the American soil, Thomas
r. Bayard, that Great Britain and Amerl-
| ca have legacy Of literature in common
! that we are bound together by the ties OF
kinship and friendship. When did Great
Britain ever show amy friendship for
America? Mr. Bayard is like great
many other Americans who have gone
abroad. He was a good American until
he came within shooting distance OF the
Prince of Wales breakfast table. ZAP
plause.) The Prince of Wales festal
board is as dangerous to Americans as
| - ol,o of lob tn S9n g
locks"
MI. Finerty pictured Joseph Chamber
lain as on his knees begging for mercy
for DR.. Jameson and his raiders, and this
picture of abject submission evoked
shouts Of delight, which min gied with
the Misses and groans for the name of the
secretary for the British colonies.
Governor Altgeld scored British justice
in terms general rather than specific,
and between the lines many read a reply
to his critics in this country.
Robbery and oppression generally
manage to marry the government he de-
clared., '"rhey manipulate the laws" he
continued $50 that a mere protest against
wrong becomes treason - Such combina-
tions he asserted, always find "servile
creatures as witnesses, jurors, Judges and
jailors, who, under the pretense of pat
riotism, are ready to crush the right and
enthrone the wrong. These sentiments
| were received quietly, but when the gov
ernor declared that the world now makes
heroes of men who commit offences for
their country he was Justify cheered.
The meeting was marked by great en-
thusasm, the sympathetic sentiments OF
all the speakers being greeted with hear
| ty applause.
Both Senator Cullom and Governor Alt
geld were welcomed to the stage with
cheers, and when the governor came for
ward to speak the audience arose to its
| feet. yelled in a frenzy of delight and
waved hats, handkerchiefs and canes.
John J. Mahoney, president Of the Unit
ed Irish Societies Of Chicago, called the
meeting to order and introduced Mr.. Fin
erty as the chairman for the evening.
eve have come here tonight to speak
| of crime against humanity and public
| decency,," explained the chairman. eve
are here to ask the release of the Irish
Americans, citizens Of this country,
who have been lingering in British dun
| geons for thirteen and fifteen years Tor
alleged political offenses. We are rot
| here to go on our knees and ask the Brit
ish government to perform an act OF char
ity. We simply demand that it perfor'a
an act of Justice
Mr.. Finerty then told of the Irishmen
in British prisons and, how they were
treated. His mention of Parne1Ps nama
was twice the signal for loud cheering.
Continuing, he said:
| s.When Jameson and his band OF out
laws who made wal. on a peaceful neigh
Dor. were arrested and sentenced to death
Joseph Observation-Disclosures and groans
and voice, "Give it to him ')-went down
on his knees to the president OF the South
African republic and begged for their
lives. President Kruger's clemency
sbames the mendacity of the British gov
ernment If Chamberlain can 10 that, we
can ask for the release Of American cit
izens long held in foreign dungeons for
political offenses."
| Then followed Mr., Finerty's attack on
Mr. Bayard, and he retired amid applause
to Introduce T. H. Clifford as secretary.
Mr.. Clifford read letters of regret from
tex-Goyernor r. J. Oglesby, Luther Lat1in
Mills, Attorney General Moloney, Con-
gressman J. Frank Aadrich, John X.
Walsh, Postmaster Hesing, George BaiI,
f. S. Bayard and j. r. Mahoney. John
T.. Heating, president of the Ancient Or
der Of Hibernians, read the address,
(which was adopted unanimously.
Senator Cullom read his address from
manuscript, and was frequently inter-
rupted by fits of coughing. He pledged
the sympathy and support of America
aud Americans to Ireland and her suffer-
| ing children The following sentiments
! in his speech were especially effective in
moving the audience to demonstrations
OF approval, the reference to the Monroe
doctrine being greeted with a rousins
cheer.
The influence of sympathetic America
hasits weight and it's effect. Since Amer
lea has erunciated it's absolute support cf
the Monroe doctrine our declarations
mean something. Whether we talk about
the patriots OF Cuba, the boundary OF
! Venezuela or the future Of Ireland our
utterances have significance so long as
they are. controlled by the laws of human
iity. Some say the world will follow the
Limited States Some time our great doc
trines of liberty and equality will domin-
ate the earth, and that day will be the
day Of jubilee to the oppressed every
where. Meantime, and until then the
|Anieer lean heart goes out in full sympa-
th,V and feeling with the weak and the
sunerillg OF all nations. he latent tsloYe
HE THberty and justice toward mankind,
ss-y