The Irish standard., 1909-05-22
matthew CUMMINGS :.
: IN DUNDALK
Explains to His Countrymen
Object Of His Mission
NJ g.. : to Green Isle.
Produces Credentials and
Shows His Authority by
81. Official Record.

Cummings, national president, and
Very Rev. Father O'Donnell, state
chaplain of the order in Massa .husetts,
visited Dundalk, County Lolth, and re.
ceived a grand ovation. The follow
ing report of Mr.. Cummings address
b Is taken from the Dunda!k Deinocre /:
Of, May 1 and is reproduced in full:
X: Mr.. Matthew Cummings said he was
particularly glad to come to Dundalk,
because not great distance from that
town was born a man who was brand
ed and stamped as a rebel, wa, trans
ported as a rebel and Fenian "a
voice-"Go on the Fenians") and who
died the most respected man in the
world-John Boyle OReilly (a1 plause)
They gave him to America and they
ealled him their own O'Rei,ly Gap
plause). Father O'Donnel AMI him
self representatives of the scattered
and exiled Irish race, came to Ireland
4 TO ask the Hibernian organizations Of
ireland to unite. They had been sent
= "
O'Donnell had said of the greatest
Catholic organization that ever existed.
He had noticed that in some papers
It had been denied that they had como
as, the representatives of that great
Organization. In a certain scurrilous
sheet in New York he had been sub
jected for the past two years to viljG-
cation of all kinds, and 1t had publish
ed 200 columns of editorial abuse Of
him during the past two years. That
man sent the paper over from New
York, and some journals had the bad
taste to copy the old stale falsehoods
from that paper at the very time when
they (the delegates) were doing their
utmost to unite the Hibernian organi-
cations, laying down foundations Of
unity amongst all the Irish people
(hear, hear). The best answer he
could give to these old. stale. vicious
falsehoods contained in that New York
Sheet would be.the records of the last
national convention of the Ancient
Order of Hibernians in America.
Their authority to come to Ireland and
speak for that great organization was
contained in the report Of the rroceed-
ings of the last national conv ention-a
public book which was in the possess
Sion of those who had made public
\ these malicious falsehoods. At tine Sar
4toga convention in 1906. his pledeces-
nor made this recommendation-"We
have been bound by the directors Of
the St. Louis convention that before
entering into any federation with the
Hibernians Of Ireland and Great Brit
ain we must receive satisfactory proof
that they are united That. am sorry
4 to say, we have not received. There
fore we determined that the hest plan
to pursue-and during the latter part
Of our administration we have done
I so-was to advise in all such cases,
when transfer cards were referred here,
members, paying their regular initia-
tfon fee, and coming into our organ
ization in the regular manner" In
1 his (Mr. Cummings) report, he made
this recommendation addition I
recommend that the incoming national
BOARD be empowered to send one of the
national officers to Ireland to :nvesti-
gate Hibernian affairs in Ireland and
Il ii Scotland, he to be instructed to
make every effort to unite Hibcrnian
Societies in those countries. TIE Unit
sd Hibernian organization should be
II non political and independent of all
Dther Irish societies, either political or
n national, before it can be federated
with the Ancient Order Of H!bernians
III America. am confident that II this
4 Necessary step be taken, the interests
81 our society will be safeguardcd. and
splendid international organization
81 6f the Ancient Order Of Hi3ern'ans will
De the result of our labors." That rec
" ommendation was adopted unanimous
Il ay.s and became the law of tie Order
lxCuccfSJs VII tHe iepOII VI Siie 1OIclSH
fefations the following motion was
unanimously passed by the National
q congress :-"Resolved That the
Right Rev. ]. A. M'Faul Bishop OF
& Trenton. New Jersey, be requested
md the national president appointed
"a "a special committee, and given pie
Y hary powers. to visit Great Britain
End Ireland for the purpose of uniting
He Hibernian Societies of Great Brit
III Hi and Ireland with the Ancient Or
of .IIibernians in America, in &C.
ptdAnce with the rules set forth by
sI6hop M'Faul at the Trenton conven-
Il ION in 1898, and there adopted, and
sonacted at all conventions since that
M tlne. We heartily recommend that all
VI human efforts be made by 'he, national
N3nt4rs to create harmony in the grand