The Irish standard., 1907-08-10

y SUI O1 composite ugUre OF Bill sykes
and Bundle and Beadle. glared at the
y, young soldier ferociously and then
I lifted his hands and eyes toward the
I; ceiling in spasn Of half-daEed hor-
ror, gasping out something that sound
cd like How shocking"
S The exceptional treatment given me
continued to the last. The other Fen
ians. American and Irish-except the
ex-English soldiers-who had partici-
:pated in the movements of 81. were
released in II. But seven years later.
/ was still incarcerated in the penal
(. cells"-the prison within the prison
" Portland, knowing nothing Of the
!. world outside could not even learn
who was president Of the United
States at that time, and didn't know
that there had been a war between
France and Germany. No speaking
was allowed in the prison.
One day, however, 1 was suddenly
summoned 10 the Governors Office and
there found to my inexpressible as
constituent and delight, and to the
overpowering amazement of the al
most peralyzed prison .onicials, the
Honorable John WEIGH. then Minister
of the United States in London, who
Informed me that he had demanded
and secured my release. having been
directed to ask for 1t from the Eng
'aish Government by President Hayes,
through Secretary W. M. Evarts-
their action having been taken in COM
pliance with a joint resolution Of
Congress, following the presentation
10 the House Of the most largely
that body. This bore the names Of
signed memorial ever presented to
over 100000 American citizens Of ev-
cry section and party.
There was, even then, exhibited the
peculiarly bitter feeling towards me
which had been manifested all through
my prison life. My liberation was de-
layed for over six weeks. after the
Seduest TOR it had been granted. and
Z was held prisoner until put on
board at Southampton. a North Ger
SaaAn Moyds Steamer for New York.
Il. My release--even after eleven years
mprisonment-arouse much ill-feel-
\ ing among a section Of the English
I. ruling classes, and some of their news
. papers attacked Minister WEIGH ven
pmously for his Enthusiastically Am
Il 6ficAn action In the matter. ." He be-
{ came SO indignant at these ebullitions
33f1pf petty meanness that he very soon
resigned from his post and returned
home where he received the praise
which he had so we'll merited by his
bold and generous conduct. Wendell
Philips said one night. when introdu-
cling me to a Boston audience, that
his whole heart went out to John
Welsh, because through him. the Eagle
had stretched forth lhis talon. and
drawn it's prey from the Jaws Of the
3ion."
20 I was later to find that the feeling
to which 1 have referred was shared
IN fully by the then British Minister
to the United States. Sackville- West,
whose" secret agents and detectives
carefully observed my movements as
long as he remained in this country.
While living in Washington l natur-
ally took a somewhat active part in
of the Irish people. and my efforts in
this direction seemed to cause great
annoyance to the Minister and his
sympathizers was warned more than
once that plots had been set on foot
TO secure my removed from the Gov
eminent service, hlt these came to
naught. and finally Mr.. sackville-West
determined to come o\t In the open
and perform the task himself
Using as a pretext the fact that
had presided at the st. Patrick's Day
banquet in Washington QssD. which
was attended by large number Of
Congressman. he wrote to the State
NSDcpdELI1lcuL uF8aNS my ISHIoVdl vi Ii1S
! ground that had been condemned to
death by the British Government for
the Manchester Rescue, had continued
to manifest hostility to it's rule in Ire
land, and had, at the banquet referred
to, used very reprehensible language
when speaking of that government.
. He followed up the letter by a FORM
al visit to the State Department and a
repetition Of the charges and the de-
4 rnand. The matter was necessarily
+ given consideration to at the next
/ meeting of President Arthur's Cabinet,
j, and on the following day Judge Fol-
N ger, then Secretary of the Treasury,
! sent for me and inquired about what
had taken. place at the banquet, ex-
planning to me, however, that, as the