FENIAN MOBILIZATION AT MALONE AND ELSEWHERE--GEN. MEADE'S PROMPT ACTION
STOPS THE INVASION--ARREST OF GEN. SWEENY AND STAFF.
The principal points of rendezvous for the Fenians who were intended to
operate on the St. Lawrence frontier were Ogdensburg, Watertown, Malone
and Potsdam, in the State of New York, and at these places large bodies
of men began concentrating during the first two or three days in June.
General Sweeny was in personal command of the troops of the Irish
Republican Army in that department, and had made every arrangement to
invade Canada along that line, in accordance with his original plan of
campaign. He made his headquarters at Ogdensburg for a time, and from
there directed the mobilization of his columns for the contemplated
attacks on Prescott, Cornwall and other points on the Canadian border.
Meanwhile Gen. Michael J. Heffernan, Gen. Murphy, and Gen. O'Reilly,
were at Malone, N.Y., perfecting the military organization of the column
which was intended to attack Cornwall. These officers were all old
soldiers, who had held commands in the United States service during the
Civil War, and were well posted in the business they had on hand.
While the Fenian leaders were thus employed in getting their forces
ready for the movement across the line, Major-General Geo. Meade (the
commander of the United States troops) was equally active and vigilant
in his determined efforts to stop the promised invasion. He ordered the
seizure by the United States officials of all arms and ammunitions of
war intended for use by the Fenians that could be located on American
territory, and forbade the railways and other transportation companies
from carrying further supplies of such material to the frontier. These
orders were rigidly complied with, and seizures of arms and ammunition
were made at Rouse's Point, Malone, Potsdam, Ogdensburg, Watertown, St.
Albans and other places, which considerably disconcerted Gen. Sweeny's
plans and thwarted his whole scheme. The presence of United States
troops, which had been moved north from various military stations to
support Gen. Meade in his efforts to prevent another breach of the
Neutrality Act, also had a deterrent effect on the Fenians, and they
became disheartened.
On the afternoon of the 4th of June, Major-General Meade ordered the
United States Marshal at Watertown, N.Y., to intercept, seize and hold
two carloads of Fenian war material which were on the way from Rome to
Potsdam Junction and Malone. On arrival of the train at Watertown the
Deputy Marshal was in waiting and promptly carried out the instructions.
A carload of Fenian soldiers who were on the same train got off the
car and angrily remonstrated with the officer when they learned of the
seizure, but he was obdurate and retained possession of the two cars,
which he had side-tracked. The Fenians remained at Watertown and began
plotting for the recapture of the arms and ammunition. Not realizing
that any interference with the majesty of the law would be attempted,
the Marshal did not deem it necessary to place a strong guard over the
two cars, and the Fenians determined to re-possess them. On arrival of
the evening express train from the south they gathered around it and
captured not only that train, but their two cars of supplies, and taking
charge themselves, ran the whole outfit off to De Kalb Junction before
they were recaptured. Several other instances of defiance of lawful
authority were reported, but Gen. Meade meant _business_, and these
infractions of his orders and the laws of the United States only served
to make him more determined than ever to strangle the hopes of the
Fenians before they had an opportunity of carrying out their designs.
PRESIDENT JOHNSON'S PROCLAMATION.
The tardy proclamation of President Johnson was finally issued on the
6th of June, almost a week after the Fenians, under Gen. O'Neil had
crossed over the Niagara. Its delay seemed significant to the Canadian
people, as the President and his Cabinet were fully aware that the
Fenians had been making active preparations for months previously to
invade Canada, and made no secret of their intentions. The following is
the text of the proclamation:--
By the President of the United States of America--A Proclamation.
Whereas, it has become known to me that certain evil-disposed persons
have, within the territory and jurisdiction of the United States, begun
and set on foot, and have provided and prepared, and are still engaged
in providing and preparing, means for such a military expedition and
enterprise to be carried on from territory and jurisdiction of the
United States against colonies, districts and people of British North
America within the dominions of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, with which said colonies, districts, and people, and kingdom,
the United States are at peace; and whereas, the proceedings aforesaid
constitute a high misdemeanor, forbidden by the laws of the United
States as well as by the laws of nations;
Now, therefore, for the purpose of preventing the carrying on of the
unlawful expedition and enterprise aforesaid from the territory and
jurisdiction of the United States, and to maintain the public peace,
as well as the national honor, and enforce obedience and respect to the
laws of the United States;
I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, do admonish and warn
all good citizens of the United States against taking part in or in
anywise aiding, countenancing or abetting such unlawful proceedings;
and I do exhort all judges, magistrates, marshals and officers in the
service of the United States to employ all their lawful authority and
power to prevent and defeat the aforesaid unlawful proceedings, and to
arrest and bring to justice all persons who may be engaged therein, and
in pursuance to the Act of Congress in such cases made and provided.
I do further authorize and empower Major-General G. G. Meade, Commander
of the Military Division of the Atlantic, to employ the land and naval
forces of the United States, and militia thereof, to arrest and pre
vent the setting on foot and carrying on the expedition and enterprise
aforesaid.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed.
Done in the City of Washington the sixth day of June, in the year of our
Lord 1866, and in the independence of the United States the 90th.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
By the President, WM. H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.
Although President Johnson did not issue his neutrality proclamation
until the 6th of June, orders had previously been issued to United
States officers to stop further invasions, and Gen. Meade exhibited
great energy and promptness in carrying out instructions so far as his
Department was concerned. Fenians were gathering in thousands, with
the understanding that their equipment would be at the border on their
arrival, but the bulk of the coveted armament was prevented from falling
into their hands owing to the watchfulness of Gen. Meade's staff of
officials. This action on the part of the United States authorities
deeply incensed the Fenian leaders, and they were disposed to resent any
interference with their plans. During an interview between Gen. Meade
and the Fenian Generals Heffernan and Murphy, at Malone, the former
complained of the interference of the United States Government, and
bitterly remarked: "We have been lured on by the Cabinet, and used
for the purpose of Mr. Seward. They encouraged us on to this thing. We
bought our rifles from your arsenals, and were given to understand
that you would not interfere. But this thing is not dead yet. We will
succeed. We have our orders from General Sweeny, and we can and will
perform them. If we get arms we will cross into Canada. We shall fight
your regulars if they oppose us." General Meade replied: "I have got
orders, too, and I shall fight you to enforce the neutrality laws."
In the performance of his duty Gen. Meade was inflexible, and would not
stand any bluff or bluster from the Fenian leaders. On the contrary,
he became very aggressive in compelling them to respect the laws and
authority of the United States, and largely through his firmness and
stern efforts the whole Fenian campaign was abandoned.
ARREST OF PRESIDENT ROBERTS.
On the 8th of June the United States Government caused the arrest of
Col. W. B. Roberts, President of the Irish Republic, on a charge of
conspiracy and violation of the Neutrality Act. He was brought before
United States Commissioner Betts, at New York, and committed to
jail pending a hearing of his case. From the quiet precincts of his
contracted quarters he issued several proclamations, which teemed with
gasconade and valiant promises, of which the following is a sample:
Ludlow St. Jail, New York, June 11, 1866. To the Fenian Brotherhood and
Irishmen of America:
Friends and Countrymen,--The Irish people of America are again united in
the cause of Irish independence and universal freedom. The cheer which
arose from the Irish soldiers at Limestone Ridge as the English foe
went fleeing before their avenging steel, had found a responsive echo in
every Irish heart and made us one in love, purpose and resolve. We
see, after ages of your oppression, the unquenchable desire for Irish
independence blaze forth anew, and as it sweeps along the cities and
prairies of this vast continent it gathers within its magic influence
five millions of Irish hearts and twice five millions of friends
of freedom and foes of despotism! Arise, then, my countrymen! Nerve
yourselves for the struggle so nobly commenced. Cast aside every
consideration that would darken the bright hopes of your enslaved
countrymen. Be true to liberty, your country, and your God; and your
native land, instead of being a lazar-house of slavery, will soon be the
garden of freedom. Stand by the cause! Be not dismayed by obstacles you
meet; you must surmount them, and you will. Let cowardice and ignorance
desert and denounce you--what of that? The true men are still with us,
and the struggle must not be abandoned, even though our soldiers should
be compelled through the over-zeal of United States officers to abandon
the present campaign. There is no turning back for us, my countrymen.
Our movement must and will advance. Retrogression would entail certain
infamy and bring a deeper stain upon your country and race, and it is
as legitimate for you to attack English power in Canada as it was for
England to attack France there, or France and America England. Remember,
in union there is strength, and that Union which has been cemented by
the blood of our gallant brothers must be eternal, and let that man be
anathemized and banned who with lying lip or evil heart would dare to
weaken or dissolve it. Be true to Ireland--steadfast in the right and
undismayed by obstacles, and remember that--
"Freedom's battle once begun--
Bequeathed from bleeding sire to son--
Though baffled oft, is ever won!"
I remain, with unchanged determination and regard, your countryman,
WM. R. ROBERTS, President Fenian Brotherhood.
While President Roberts was busy in penning his proclamations and
exhorting his deluded followers to stand by the cause and "keep their
powder dry" for a future attempt, the Revolutionary Committee of the
Irish Republic were also sending out appeals to all lovers of Republican
liberty, invoking further aid, from one of which circulars the following
is an extract:
Let the Irish citizens in particular send in commissary stores, such as
bread, meat, coffee, sugar, etc., just what each one would like at home.
We want all the money you can raise for other purposes--what purposes
the people can guess. Let no person imagine that the cause is defeated
or that the men who have sworn to free their native land or die, will
abandon their cause. A few over-zealous officials have placed some
obstacles in our way. The voice of the great American people is at last
heard in her halls of Congress, not from a single individual, but
from the representatives of thirty, millions, and true to her natural
instincts, they raise their voices for the oppressed. God bless them!
They will raise many an anxious spirit through the world and make
tyrants tremble on their thrones as the cry goes forth, "America is the
defender of liberty." Let the people take heart throughout the land.
Call meetings, pass resolutions, pledge support to the men who inscribe
on their banner universal liberty. Be patient, but work! work! Collect
money. Have your men ready, and when the cry of fight goes forth, let
them come as individuals if they cannot come as companies or regiments.
As a large number of Fenians had gathered at Malone with very hostile
intentions, Gen. Meade gave particular attention to the marauders
who had mustered there. They had taken possession of the old military
barracks at Malone, and were running the town to suit their own
inclinations. As the days wore on and the prospects of their receiving
arms and supplies to equip the invaders became more and more remote,
the leaders chafed, fumed and fretted alternately, and finally became
absolutely discouraged. Their fondest hopes were blasted, and they
bitterly berated the United States Government in blasphemous language
for stopping their expeditions. While the officers were in this frame of
mind, their soldiers were worse. They were living on short rations, and
their promise of a pleasant sojourn in "The Land of Plenty," where they
hoped to revel in all the luxuries of life (when they captured it), was
likely to prove but an empty dream. They were becoming turbulent and
demonstrative, and it was finally found necessary to invoke the majesty
of military power to keep them in subjection. Desertions were now
frequent, and they had become a disorganized mob rather than a
disciplined army. As this state of affairs was a menace to the public
safety of the citizens of Malone. Gen. Meade took a firm grasp of the
situation and issued the following order:
MALONE, N.Y., June 9th, 1866.
All persons assembled at this place in connection with, and in aid of
the Fenian organization for the purpose of invading Canada, are hereby
ordered, in compliance with the President's proclamation, to desist from
their enterprise and disband. The men of the expeditionary force will,
on application to the officer in command of the United States forces,
on giving their names and residences, and satisfying him that they
are unable to provide their own transportation, be provided with
transportation to their homes; and all officers below the rank of field
officers who are unable to provide their own transportation, on giving
their parole to abandon the enterprise, will be allowed to return to
their homes; officers above the rank of field officers will be required
to give such bonds as may be satisfactory to the civil authorities;
it being the determination of the United States Government to preserve
neutrality, and the most stringent measures having been taken to prevent
all accessions of men and material, the Commanding General trusts that
these liberal offers will have the effect of causing the expedition,
now hopeless, to be quietly and peaceably abandoned; and he confidently
expects that all those who have any respect for the authority of the
United States will conform to the requirements of the President's
proclamation; and of this, which if not promptly obeyed, a sufficient
force will be brought to bear to compel obedience.
(Signed) GEORGE G. MEADE, Major-General, U.S.A.
In compliance with this order, the majority of the men immediately gave
their paroles, and for the next day or two trains were filled with the
discomfitted warriors returning to their homes. All thoughts of the
capture of Canada had vanished, and peace reigned once more on the
border line.
The day previous, while Gen. Sweeny and Col. Meehan were actively
engaged in mobilizing troops and directing operations on the Vermont
frontier, warrants were served upon them by the United States
authorities for violation of the Neutrality Act. They were arraigned
before the United States Commissioner at Burlington, Vt., when they
waived examination, and bail was fixed for Sweeny at $20,000 and Meehan
at $5,000, to appear for trial at the July term of the United States
District Court. Meanwhile other prominent leaders were being arrested
at other points. With the President, the Secretary of War, and other
members of the Irish Republican Cabinet under arrest, and many others of
lesser note being "wanted" by American officers for infractions of the
law, the hopes of the invaders sank below zero, and their warlike zeal
vanished away.
FENIANISM IN CONGRESS.
As nearly all of the prominent Fenian leaders had been placed under
arrest for transgression of United States laws, and quite a number of
their deluded followers who were captured in Canada were confined in
Canadian prisons awaiting trial, the seriousness of their offences began
to dawn upon the minds of those implicated in the movement. The good
offices of the United States Government were then eagerly sought by
their friends and supporters to get them out of the meshes of the net,
and earnest appeals were made to the State Department for some action
along these lines. Every possible pressure was brought to bear on
Congress and the United States Senate to secure the influence of those
two important legislative bodies in taking up the Fenian cause. But
it was a delicate question to handle, and although there were some
Congressmen who introduced the matter into the House of Representatives,
and made fiery speeches in support of their resolutions, the majority
failed to concur, as they rightly conjectured that if the United States
gave the Fenians the recognition and liberty of action they desired, it
might end in embroiling them in war with Great Britain, for which they
were not prepared.
On June 11th, 1866, Congressman Ancona, of Pennsylvania, offered the
following preamble and resolution in the United States Congress:
Whereas, the Irish people and their brothers and friends in this
country are moved by a patriotic purpose to assist the independence
and re-establish the nationality of Ireland, and whereas the active
sympathies of the people of the United States are naturally with all men
who struggle to achieve such ends, more especially, when those engaged
therein are the known friends of our Government, as are the people of
the Irish race, they having shed their blood in defence of our flag in
every battle of every war in which the Republic has been engaged; and
whereas the British Government against which they are struggling is
entitled to no other or greater consideration from us, a nation, than
that demanded by the strict letter of international law, for the reason
that during our late Civil War that Government did in effect, by its
conduct repeal its neutrality laws; and whereas when reparation is
demanded for damages to our commerce, resulting from the wilful
neglect of Great Britain to enforce the same, she arrogantly denies all
responsibility, and claims to be the judge in her own cause; and whereas
the existence of the neutrality law of 1818 compels the executive
department of this Government to discriminate most harshly against those
who have ever been, and are now, our friends, in favor of those who
have been faithless, not only to the general principles of comity which
should exist between friendly States, but also to the written law of
their own nation on this subject; therefore, be it resolved, that the
Committee on Foreign Affairs be instructed to report a bill repealing
an Act approved April 20th, 1818, it being the neutrality law, under
the terms of which the President's proclamation against the Fenians was
issued.
It is needless to say that the good sense of Congress prevailed, and the
resolution was consigned to the morgue which is the receptacle for all
undesirable resolutions.