The Irish standard., 1909-06-19
Addressed to the Ancient Order of Hbernians in Aercs
by Officers of the Order in Ireland and
Great Britain
EXPLAINING WHY THEY REFUSE TO AMALGAMAIE
Profess the Most Friendly Relations With the Order in
This Country But Discredt McManus and
His Little Wing.

The following manifesto is addressed
by the Board of Erin to tho Ancient
Order of librarians in t": United
States. anent the mission of tn" Amer
ican envoys to ireland. The officers
of the National Board say in part:
AS representatives of the A. @. H.
I'm Ireland, we have desired and still
desire to have nothing but the
most friendly relations with tho Or
der IN America. and we Ia - always
been, and arc still. willing t" welcome
any bona fldc delegate from the Or
der in America to the Order in Ire
land, sent on II mission or inquiry with
a view to the closer union OF our kins-
men. When. however, we learned that
the principal member Of the delegation
to Ireland was to be Mr.. Matthew
Cummings, we felt that little, if indeed
any, hope could be entertained of the
success Of his mission. 1t may be Mr..
Cummings fret visit to Ireland. but
his personality and character were
we'll known here before his presence
"graced" our shores. We knew him
to- be a member OF the elmer ring
of the once powerful Clan-na- Gael So
cicty, which is avowedIy antagonistc
to the popular movement in Ireland.
Despite this knowledge, however, and
as a mark OF respect to tho general
membership of the Order of the Statc,
VIC were prepared to receive Mr.. Cum
mngs and to give him every facility
for making his mission n success, be-
li"ving that, If he were sincere In his
desire to promote peace and harmony
In Ireland. his first step would be 70
approach both sides in the alleged dis
pute, with the object of bringing about
a. Conference where the differences
could be discussed.
But what arc the facts: Mr.. Cum
mings travelled over from America. In
the company of a gentleman named
McManus. who modcstly claims to be
the National President OF the A. O. IL.
in this country but who in reality is
an expelled member from the ranks
of the Board OF Erin. The body OF fac
tonists or which Mr.. McManus is the
acknowledged leader made desperate
efforts to accord Mr.. Cummings a pub
lie reception in the City Of Dublin, and
were it not for the Gaelic League,
which considered itself under an obll
CATION to the American Order, the at
tempted welcome would have been a
complete farce. The Lord Mayor. the
High Sheriff, and the leading members
Of the Dublin Corporation were con-
spicuous by their absence. No repre-
sentative man Of any section Of the
public, with the possible exception of
the leaders OF the Gaelic League, could
be noted in the gathering which well
coined the "Envoys." The cosmopolitan
crowd which waited the arrival OF the
lrdlu III DllDlIH WAS DIlucIIWIIS COIf-
posed of a small political society i'll
Dublin known as Sim F'cin, which is
kindred society of tho Clan ma Gael
in America.
At Cork and Dublin, in the course
Of public addresses: Mr.. Cummings
proclaimed his hostility to the Consti-
tutional movement and the Irish Party,
thereby Offering direct insult to the
A. O. Fl. In ireland and it's officers,
who, AS body, are supporters OF the
Irish Party.
For three or four days the "Envoys"
remained at their hotel, unvisited by
! anybody but the representatives of
factionism recently organized in Dub
lin, working under our title.
Notwithstanding all this, our Execu-
tive decided to attend a Conference
called by Mr.. Cummings to ascertain
what was the claim the gentlemen who
were using our title could boast of.
Those who attended on behalf of the
Board of Erin we're Mr.. Joseph Dew