THE DYING "HEAD CENTRE."

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 205, 9 March 1877, Page 17

THE DYING " HEAD CENTRE."

It was announced that Colonel John O'Mahony, one of the most prominent Irish revolutionary leaders of the day, was lying at the point of death at his residence on Sixth Avenue. He is still alive, but in so critical a condition that his medical adviser gives but little hope for his iife. Although for the last few years Colonel O'Mahony and, in fact, the Fenian Brotherhood have in a great degree ceased to occupy the public attention, still the great prominence to which that organisation once attained must be fresh in the memory of most people, and cannot fail to create some interest in the fate of the remarkable man who ruled it during its period of prosperity. When James Stephens founded the secret Fenian or Phoenix movement, as it was then called, in Ireland, a similar movement was created in America for the purpose of sending assistance to the revolutionists in Ireland. This took place about the year 1861. Ab this time the death and magnificent obsequies of J. B. McManus, one of the leaders of the revolutionary attempt which took place in Ireland in 184:8, excited considerable patriotic ardor among the Irish not only at home, but also in this country. O'Mahony and others seized the opportunity to give their enterprise a fair start. The commencement of the civil war afforded great opportunities for organising. O'Mahony assisted General Corcoran in raising the legion which bore his name, and when Corcoran took the field he accompanied him to his camp and then succeeded in obtaining among the Irish soldiers many recruits for Fenianism. In fact, throughout the whole war, the Fenian organisers found in the camp of the United States troops, an abundantly rich harvest of volunteers for the Irish cause. Tip to this point the movement had been pushed rather in secret. All had been done by private talks and personal influence. In 1862, however, the Fenian organisation held its first convention at Chicago, and the real strength which it there exhibited, together with the fiery declaration of principles published by the convention, kindled all the I enthusiasm of the Irish residing in this country. Men and money flowed in in a constant stream ; military companies were raised ; balls and picnics were given, and all went on swimmingly. The nrrest of tho leaders of the movement in Ireland in 1865 only gave fresh impetus to the brotherhood here. John O'Mahony had been confirmed in the leadership by the Chicago convention, the Moffat Mansion, on East Seventeenth street, was hired to serve him as an executive headquarters, and Fenianism swiftly reached its highest tidemark. The surroundings of " President " O'Mahony were brilliant, and the cause he represented never had a more hopeful outlook But a change came. Dissension sprang up in the Fenian ranks, and in 1866, after a convention held in New York, a large section of the "Brotherhood," under Colonel William R. Roberts, separated from Colonel O'Mahony and founded that party which was afterwards identified with the Canadian raid. All was now chaos, the money melted away, and in 1868 John O'Mahony disgusted with tho Fenians, resigned his head centreship and retired into private .life until 1872, when he again consented to assume the leadership skeleton of the once formidable Fenian body — a leadership has since continued to hold. During the war of the rebellion O'Mahony did good service to the federal cause. Besides being, in 18i-3, chiefly instrumental in the orgnni-ation of that brilliant rorps "Corccran's Legion," he in the following year earned his colonel's commission by raising a regiment of militia for New York State. His title to literary distinction re.-ts on his contributions to the * Phoenix,' the ' Iri«h People,' and ' Irish Citizen ' — Irish national journals published in this city at different times — and on his trans ation of Heating's " Hist* ry ot Ireland," which proves him to be a most accomplished Celiic scholar. "When it was discovered that the funds of the association had melted away, uny amount of abuse was heaped on O'Mahony. He was by many churged with direct misappropriation of the money ; but he has livid to disprove the truth of this, for since his resignation in 1868, he has b<en in veiy straightened circumstances, and thi* Burroundmgs of his dying bed cannot fail to clear the memory of this remarkable man, who, wl>a'ever his fault*, ceitainly sacrificed his whole life and prospects to the service of bis country.—' N. Y. Herald. 1