THE FENIANS IN AMERICA.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 198, 5 January 1866, Page 3

THE FENIANS IN AMERICA.

The American Correspondent of the Times writes : — ■ "During the autumn the Fenian question, in America as well as in England will attract great attention. It ha* . already been made a subject of diplomatis i communication between Sir Frederick . Bruce and Secretary Seward, and the latter has been asked for an explanation of the various Fenian movements in all ; parts of the country. This has led to an investigation of the subject, and the ; leading Fenians say their organisations . in America numbers 221,000 men, who < axe pledged to move whenever required ; to assist ia the liberation of Ireland. It - is also said that about fifty Irish officers from the Army of the Potomac have j gone to Ireland, and are drilling the people, and others intend to follow. A ; tax of $20 per man has been levied in the r United States, and m nearly paid up,

said that 8 per cent, bonds of the " Irish Republic " are in course of manufacture, and will soon be put upon the market to raise funds for the cause ; but who is to pay the interest, or what security there is for the principal, is not stated. Yet, notwithstanding the excitement these people raise — for by taking the advantage of the great love America has for abusing England, the Fenians have enlisted many newspapers in their cause — Americans generally do not regard the movement in this country as of any account. The Fenians are principally of the lower orders, illiterate, and quite poor. The §20 must have imposed a difficult task upon the great majority of them, for their purses are never heavy. They are all Irishmen (no Americans being in the order), and having all immigrated from Ireland, although they love the old country well enough to make a great lament about her real or fancied wrongs, they do not love her so well as to return on any crusade, the success of which in the best case will be very questionable. They are too poor to fit out any expedition to aid Ireland, or to buy any great quantity of military stores to send there. Unless clandestinely, they cannot go themselves or send aid, for the American G-overnment would not permit it. To send any large force of men or large quantity of stores clandestinely to Ireland will be out of the question, for if they escape the vigilance of American officers they will not escape English cruisers. The Fenians in America are too great blusterers to mean anything very serious. They are a standing joke among our people, and being permitted to rant as they please, they do nothing that is more serious. I think I can safely say that, although there are over 200,000 b'enians in America, and they make a great show of raising money, and are loud in their expressions of sympathy with their Irish brethren, they would give very little material aid either of men or means to any revolutionary movement in Ireland. The difficulties in the way are too great, and, were there no difficulties, the character of the movement in America is too fickle, and the men engaged in it too weak, to accomplish anything."