THE FENIAN MOVEMENT 207 



abandonment of Fenian prosecutions and the ready acquiesence of 

 Johnson in the request of July, 1866, just when the heated congressional 

 election of 1866 was fairly launched. In March of 1867 the contest 

 was on between Johnson and the Congress. Debate ensued in the 

 House over the adoption (March 27, 1867) of the resolution of sympathy 

 for Ireland. This debate reveals that the representatives were interested 

 more in enticing Irish sympathy for the Republican cause than in avow- 

 ing the sympathy of the House for the cause of Ireland. Said Represen- 

 tative Robinson of New York: " Irish intellect today governs the world; 

 Irish intellect is good enough to govern England. Even the poorer 

 sort of Irishmen like the late Duke of Wellington, proves good enough 

 for that business. Irish intellect today is uppermost in all the transac- 

 tions of England. She rules in her Parliament; she directs her press; 

 she commands her armies; she fights her battles" 1 — excellent campaign 

 thunder this, it must be admitted. 



Nor is there any doubt that the House hoped that its resolution of 

 sympathy for the "people of Ireland" would be interpreted by the 

 Fenians and others as a public approval of the Fenian Brotherhood. 

 An amendment 2 to the resolution was offered declaring that "the present 

 Fenian movement must prove entirely abortive in bringing relief to 

 Ireland." This amendment met with a storm of disapproval. "It 

 is idle," said Eldridge, of Wisconsin, "for us to express sympathy with 

 the cause of Ireland and at the same time deprecate every measure 

 which the people of Ireland take for her alleviation." 3 "The country 

 well knows as the House knows," declared Wood, of New York, "that 

 the present agitation in Ireland looks to the establishment of free govern- 

 ment in that island as the result of this same Fenian movement. We all 

 know it is this Fenian movement that has effected military organization 

 in Ireland, and that every rebel in arms in Ireland and all the preparatory 

 arrangements looking to the establishment of an independent govern- 

 ment in Ireland have been promoted, if not originally prompted, by the 

 Fenian movement." 4 The amendment was lost 102 to io. 5 



1 Congressional Globe, ist sess., 40th Cong., p. 392. * Congressional Globe, ist sess., 40th Cong., p. 394. 

 ' Congressional Globe, ist sess., 40th Cong., p. 393. s Congressional Globe, ist sess., 40th Cong., p. 394. 

 3 Congressional Globe, ist sess., 40th Cong., p. 394. 



