Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1919-01-25
Enthusiasm Marked Birth of New
Republic at Dublin ON
Tuesday.
Declaration of Independence Read
Amid Thunderous and
Constant Cheering.
Streets Were Filled All Day by
Huge Crowds of Orderly
People.
FIRST PRELIMINARY MEETING.

The Mansion House in Dublin
was overtaxed when the first session
of the Irish Parliament was opened
Tuesday afternoon, at least 5000
persons being crowded into the
meeting room. The first business
was the election of a Chairman, the
honor going to Charles Burgess,
after which prayers were offered by
Rev. Father O'Flanagan, of Ros-
common.
The declaration of independence,
read to the assemblage amid thun-
derous and constant cheering, as
serts that "the Irish people alone
have the power to make laws bind
ing on the Irish people," 1t de-
mands the evacuation of Ireland by
the foreign" garrison.
All members of the Parliament
soiemnly rose after the document
had been read and pledged them
selves to use every effort to give
effect to the declaration. Mention
of the name of Count Joseph
Plunkett was cheered to the echo.
And the name of Sir Edward Car
son was greeted with merriment.
e. ]. Duggan read an English
translation of the declaration of in
dependence, which was first read In
its original Celtic text.
There has been no interference
by the British Government so far
with the proceedings. But the at
mosphere. still as it seems on the
surface, is tremendously charged.
Any moment may bring an ex-
plosion. A spirit Of restiveness,
daring and defiance is sweeping the
Isle of Erin on this the day which
the Sim Fein proclaim the greatest
in Ireland's history. At this mo-
ment the programme of the Sim
Fein is running smoothly, and the
British Governments officers and
armed forces in Ireland, though
known to be fully prepared for ev-
cry emergency, show resolute de-
termination not to interfere. Briefly
the situation is that the Sim Fein
have resolved not to provoke yio-
lence of any sort, to maintain a
defensive" attitude all the way
through. Viscount French, past
master in the art of suppressing re-
volts by sheer violence, is de-
termined on the other hand to APP
ply lessons of former experiences
to the present situation. He refuses
to give the other side Nthe excuse
that he started it.
In the Mansion House, at the top
of which floats the republican ban
ner. sits the Irish Parliament. The
galleries are crowded and an army
of correspondents is present. Not
far away, at Dublin Castle, sits
Field Marshal French, grimly silent,
watchfully waiting. His whole at
titude appears to be to the effect
"Now that you have it, what are
you going to do with it?"
There lies the crux. If things
continue as serenely as they have
been going up to this cabling, then
the acid test will not come until
the Irish Parliament attempts to
act upon some of the measures
which it is outlining in eloquent If
somewhat Anticipated language.
The Sim Fein Parliament held
only brief meeting at the Man
sion House Wednesday afternoon,
but behind closed doors. After
ward Count Plunkett told reporters
that a statement of the business
transacted would be furnished to
the press later. thus following the
precedent of the Paris conference.
A group of a hundred young men
gathered outside during the secret
session, but no excitement of any
kind was shown.
The Irish censorship prevented
the appearance of the Sim Fein's
declaration of independence in the
Dublin newspapers.
without interference the Lord
Mayor of Dublin, Laurence O'Neil,
having obtained passports from the
Government, will proceed to Paris
to tender to President Wilson the
freedom of the city of Dublin, re-
Gently voted by the Corporation.
Two policemen were killed in
Tipperary on Tuesday and imme-
diately proclamation was issued
placing that county under the
crimes act, which means a regime
much like the occupied German
cities are undergoing. The Clare
district has also been proclaimed