e 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