The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-08-13
AsrnIng Star and Catholic Messenger.
NEW oRLEANs SUNDAY. AUGUST 49, 1875.
IRISH HOME RULE MOVEMENT.


IRISH HOME RULE MOVEMENT.
By A. NJ. SULLIVAN, EDITOR OF THE DUBLIN
NATION AND NJ. p. FOR COUNTY LoUTu.
Catholic World for July and August)
[Continued.l
For four days-the 18th, 18th, Goth, and
2Ist, of November, 1s73-the conference
continued in session sitting each day at
eleven in the morning, and adjourning at
six o'clock in the afternoon. The number
of "delegates was 947; and the daily
attendance at each sitting averaged about
six hundred. Fortunately, an authentlc
record was taken of the composition OF the
assembly and it is only on glancing over the
names and addresses of those nine nundred
gentlemen that full conception of it's
character can be formed. one OF the most
called forth much public comment ss indi-
cation of the deep public interest in the
proceedings, was the crowded gallery of
ladies and gentlemen who, having succeed
ed in obtaining admission-cards, day by
day sat out the debates, listening with
eager attention to all that went forward.
The pressure for these admission cards in
creased each day, and at the final sitting,
on the 21st, it was found impossible to seat
the hundreds of visitors who filled the
avenues to the gallery.
There was much speculation az to who
would be selected as chairman of the con-
vention. The choice when made called
forth universal appreciation. 1t was Mr..
William Shaw, Member of Parliament for
the borough of Bandop, a Protestant gen.
tleman of the highest position and repata-
tion, banker (president of the Munster
Bank), a man of large wealth, Of grave and
undemonstrative manner, but of great
depth and quiet force of character. He was
one Of the last men in Ireland who would
answer the description of an Irish agita-
Tow oh ofo 1ror <ha o1o oh
He was one who had everything to lose
and nothing to gain by " revolution" yet
he had early Joined the movement for Irish
self government, declaring that he did 80 as
a business man having large stake in the
prosperity of the country, land because he
saw that the present system was only the
"pretence of a government for Ireland.
Naturally the chief event of the first |
days sitting was Mr.. Butts great speech or
opening statement on the whole case. 1t |
was a mastery review of the question of |
Irish legislative independence, and q pow
erfnl vindication of the federal adjustment |
now under consideration. He went min
utely and historically into every fact and |
circumstance and every element of consid-
GRAFTON, making his address rather a great |
the close, however, when he came to tell |
how he himself had been led into this
movement-how it began, how it had
grown, till now he surrendered it into their
keepipg-his voice trembled with emotion.
<" State trials were not new to me,n be ex-
claimed:
Twenty years before stood near Smith
OBrien when he braved the sentence of death
which the law pronounced upon him. saw
Meagher meet the same, and then asked my
self this Surely the state is out of joint,
surely all our social system is unhinged when
men like OBrien and Meagher are condemned
to traitors doom = Years passed away, and
once more l stood by men who had dared the
desperate enterprise Of freeing their country
by revolt. heard their words
and unyieldipg heart they left the dock, and
went down the dark passage that led them to
the place where all hope closed upon them,
to arrest this7 Are our best and brNvest
spirits ever to be carried away upder this sys-
tenn Of constantly resisted oppression and con-
means by which the national quarrel that has
led to all these terrible results may be set
set rightP l believe in my conscience, we
now the opportunity of adjusting the quarrel
Of centuries. Let me say i'll do so proudly /
that WAS one of those who did something
in this cause Over torn and distracted {
country-a country agitated by discussions,
weakened by distrust-we raised the banner
IN 4 which we embla1on the magic words, I
Home Rule We raised it with feeble hand |
rremblingly, with hesitation, almost steaIthly, (
We unfurled the banner to the breeze. Bnt r
wherever the legend we had emblszoned on
ts folds was seen the heart of the people moved
y
heir power aud their spell. Those words a
we're passed from man to man along the val
ey and the hillside. Everywhere men, even q
hose who had been despairirr. turned to that il
'anner with confidence and hope Thas far t
TS t nave tVr borne it: 1t is for to bear it
1 .ith more more energy with more Htrength, and
n this gathering Of the nation Bat, oh let K
10 unholy hands approach it. Let no one come B
o the help of our country,
Or dare to lay his hand upon the ark
OF her magnificent and awful cause Il
Vho is not prepared never never to desert that ii
.anner till it flies proudly over the portals of is
hat odd house at home'-that old house {
which is associated with memories of great II
rishmen, and has been the scene OF many ii
lorious triumphs. Even while the blaze of
hose glories is at this moment throwing it's "
plendor over the memory Of us all, believe D
D my soul that the parliament of regenerated
roland will achieve triumphs more glorious, | .
lore lasting, more sanctifed and holy, than 1S
ny by which her old parliament illumined pr
be annals of our country and Ourrace." "a "a