The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1875-12-11
Lecture.


The attendance at the Opera House on
Thursday evening to hear the lecture o' MI
John O'Connor Power, NJ. p under the auspi'
ces of the Father Matthew Total Abstinence
Society, was unusually large-numberlng over
400 people.
Before the lecture the song Beautiful Noon.
lpbtn was sung, also "The Harp that once
through Taras Hall" and the Star Spangled
Banner" by Misses Quirk, Bossenin and Terry.
Rev. Father Terry then introduced the speaker,
and in few neat remarks said the speaker
would talk OF "The Condition of Ireland-Social
Political and Industrial" After stating his graf
ifcation at meeting so many of Americas native
and adopted children, the speaker stated the
American people on the subject Of Ireland The
subject had been presented to us by English
speakers and through English literature in a
perverted manner on account OF the prejudice
and Ignorance Of speakers and writer's. He was
the first man advocating the cause Of Ireland to
appear before the American people to present
the subject impartially to their judgment.
He showed from history the injustice OF the
brutal treatment of Ireland by England; showed
how, by contlscation under Edward VI, con-
tinued by Phillip, Mary, Elizabeth, and James J.,
the land was wrested from its rightful owners,
and reviewed the entire history OF the long and
bloody struggle.
He then spoke of her present condition. There
are about GEO. 900 farmers, 100000 OF whom hold
the land under such precarious conditions that a
few months notice was sufficient to deprive
them Of their homes. There is no encourage.
ment for farmer to be industrious, but, on the
contrary, every inducement to be idle, for nc
sooner did farmer begin to be prosperous than
his rent was raised, and the landlord reaped the
entire benefit. And this was all the worse be
cause the money was spent out OF the country.
The speaker quoted from John Stuart Mill &c
prove that the policy pursued by England in
Irish affairs was ruinous to the prosperity of tht
country. There were only two classes in the
Countrywide very rich and the very poor The
latter we're sub.divided, and to add to the coun
trys woe it was disturbed by inter nal dissensons
He gave some very pointed illustrations of thu
ignorance OF even ordinarily well informed mel
and members of the British Parliment, OF Irish al
fairs. Neither Disraeli nor Gladstone had eveI
been in Ireland. The only privileges given tc
Ireland were gived when England was defeated
abroad, and then only through fear OF her; bu
az Englands success increased, in the same ratio
increased her severity towards Ireland.
The speaker showed by the superiority o
Irish linen over that manufactured in othe
countries, and her superiority in the manufac
ture of WOODEN goods until stopped by the King
granting the request CT English manufacturer
to suppress Irish WOODEN manufactures, that b.
proper legislation by those who understood he
wants she could soon be in prosperou
condition. He closed by showing that Ireland
need was Home Parliament and to that enc
his efforts should ever be directed.
As speaker Mr.. P. is very pleasing; his voice
is clear and distinct and his enunciatien per
feet; and his manner is so happy and entertain
ing that it would seem one could never tire o
listening to him.