The Irish standard., 1899-11-25


apt interjections and expressed their
ideas at frequent intervals in plain and
vigorous words.
Resolutions were adopted that were
the concentration OF Irish wrath against
Britain's sovereignty and OF encourage
ment to the Soutl, African republic.
The resolutions went farther even than
those adopted at the Dutch meeting last
Monday night, for they demanded the
recognition by the United States Of the
belligercnt rights of the Beers and de-
clared against any alliance with Eng
land or with any other monarchial gov
crnment. They are as follows:
Fellow Citizens: Great Britain, the
fruitful mother Of wars OF aggression
on weaker nations, is now engaged in
the most unjustifable OF all her long list
Of outragcs on the ordinary rights OF
mankind. intoxicated by pride OF en-
pire and greed for gold, she has forced
The South African republics into an
oncnsive-deiensive struggle for the
maintenance of their national dignity
and political independence Deaf to the
voice OF reason and of honor; scorning
the principle of arbitration which she
has persistently, if hypocriticaly, advo-
Gated in this country and at the recent
Hague conference, she massed her
armed legions on the peaceful Trans
vaal frontiers and demanded that the
internal affairs OF the South African re-
public be so administered as to allow
her subjects, while retaining their allie
glance to the Queen of England, admis-
sion to the full privileges OF South AT
rican citizenship.
The governmental authorities of that
commonwealth made every concession
to the British demands consistent with
sclf-respcct and self-prescrvation. New
ertheless, needless to the treaty OF 1884.
i'll which suzerainty over the Transvaal
was virtually renourced by the omis-
sion Of such clause from that docu-
ment, the British government proceed
ed to mobilize its reserves and, with
insoleslt flourish OF trumpcts, embarked
Il strong army corps from the shores OF
England and its dependencies to make
relentless warfare ona brave, inolfcnsive
and patriarchal people.
Shocked by this immoral spectacle
particularly immoral when presented by
a power that never failed to invoke the
Almighty God when cntcriflg on any
enterprise of conquest or spol;ation-
we assemble here tonight as American
citizens and frecmen. who treasure and
revere the teachings of George Wash
ington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madi-
son, James Monroe Andrew Jackson,
Abraham Lincoln and other confessors
Of the great faith of American freedom,
to declare our ardent sympathy with the
people of the South African Republic
and Orange Free State in their noble
and gallant resistance 10 the overgrown,
arrogant tyrant whose drum beat-thc
knell of human liberty-follows the sun
around the globe, hcralding the dcvas-
tating march OF plague, pestilence, FAM
inc and war; wherefore we
Resolve, That we hereby express our
fraternal friendship for the citizens OF
the South African republics; that we
rejoice in their splendid victories over
boastful enemy, and that we ardently
hope for their ultimate triumph over
their unscrupulous imperial opprcssor.
That we hereby pledge ourselves to
do everything that may come within
our power to do, consistent with our
duty as loyal American citizens, to aid
the gallant Beers in their brave and
desperate struggle against apparently
overwhelming odds.
That we urge upon the government
of the United States the wisdom, justice
and humanity of recognizing the South
African republics as belligerents, fully
justified in such course as it would
be through the precedent established by
England herself when, in 1861, she pre-
cipitately recognized the belligerent
rights of the states in revolt against the
United States government without CIV
ing our minister to the court OF St
James chance to enter personal pro-
test against such unfrcnd1y action.
That we enter emphatic protest
against any alliance, expressed or un-
derstood. between the government OF
the United States and that OF Great
Britain or any other monarciial power,
and protest against any so-called "cour-
tcsics' being extended to the govern
mcnt OF Great Britain by Our civil OF
military authorities al the expense OF
the heroic South African republics now
fighting for the same principles that the
American patriots fought for when they
compelled Burgoync 10 surrender al
Saratoga and Cornwallis at Yorktown
That the independent military organi
zaticns represented at this meeting re-
gret that the neutrality laws interposc
an almost insurmountable barrier
against offering their services to Presi-
dent Kruger and his brave allies, and
sincerely hope that some complication
may arise by which, without violating
American law, they may yet be enabled
4