The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1878-11-17
HOME RULE MEETING S.
Nublln Nation, Oct. a6.

| HOME RULE MEETINGS.
| Hublin Nation, Oct. 60.
The Home Rule meetings of Monda
and Tuesday last have well fulfilled tn
| expectations which had been formed O
them by all who were friendly to thei
patriotic purpose, and they have utterl,
disappointed the hopes of the enemie
OF Ireland. Last week the English Jour
nails on both sides of the Channel wer,
| full of delightful anticipations of trouble
and scandals which they were pleased t,
/ euppoee would take place at those meeting.
There were to.be personal denunciations
examinations and recriminstiops, splits
divisions and secessions, rows and riots
broken furniture and broken heads. The
sympathisers with Fenianism were relied
on by the Mail aud Eepress to get up some
scenes OF that sort, aud many neat little
compliments were paid them in the hope
of inducing them to afford SO much amuse
ment to anti-Irish editors, to the staff of
Dublin Castle, and to Ministerial circles
in London. But this week those apiable
Journalistic feel completely disgusted. The
bait was not taken ; the Nationals exhib-
lted qultesa disheaTtening amount of good
sense, and the Home Ralers An alarming
degree of good temper. No leader was
deposed and no new association IVES form
ed. In consequence of these things the
English press cannot help regarding the
meetings as having been stale, fiat and
Improbable. Bat the Irish point of view
OF them, we need ha:dly cay, 10 very diff
ferent.
1T 1s FcRrcety likely tn at Lhere ia to day
patriotic Irishman in the three Kingdoms
who does not feel in his heart that the
effect of those meetings has been service
able to the national cause. A visible sign
was wanted that the people had not for
gotten it. The quietuGe that had come
uDOQ of DSnai
advocates had been mistaken by many for
an absolute abandonment of it, and was
producing most depressing effect. A
prolonged continuance of such torpor
would be certain to prove very injurious
to lreland's national interests. But hap
PLY the thing wac not to be. The visit of
the delegates of the Home Rule Confeder-
alton has supplied the little impetus that
was necessary to act in motion the wheels
of national ectiou, and to day the Home
k1le movement ls once again movement
not merely III name, but in fact. The
great public meeting held on Tuesday
night in the Rotundo marked no new
departure in Home Rule principles, but we
trust it marked new departure in earn
estnees a"d energy. For such a start the
country has been long wishing and crying
ont. The uum2rous letters from nduen-
ttal lfiehmen received by the organizers of
III" nettirg supply indu bitable proof of
Home Rule League runs through nearly
al! OF t.'tm, ard IN earnest desire that it
sheuld be changed into vigorous and reso
late action is expressed. We feel confident
that the monition will ere long be eatsfac-
torily answered. An endeavor will be
made, not without effect, we think, to get
the League out of tte rut in which it has
stuck fast, and tosput the machinery into
Thorough working order. If that cannot
be done, other machinery which will not
fail to work can be devised arc set poipg;
but we believe it can be done, and we know
that the attempt ought to be made in all
earpestness and honesty before any new
construction is undertaken. We think it
quite possible that many of those who are
responsible for having brought the League
into lts present state of suspended anima-
tiOn have by this time seen the error of
their ways, aud will now jOin in an effort
to undo the mischief they have wrought.
But much more than this is required to
make tho Home Rule cause the power that
it ought to be in the land. Why should
there rot be local organi cations in every
county and every considerable town in
lreland9 They are very desirable, for
they would be of immense utility. We
would therefore respectfully suggest to
to the writers of the several letters favor
ing policy of action which have been
sent to the Dublin committee that they
should do ali in their power to give effect
to such a policy in their Own localities. 1t
is not well to look to Dublin as the cole
repository Of organized political life a
more healthy state of things is to have
allied ceutTes of thought and action ia
many parts of the country. In other words,
a system of federated Home Rule clubs or
associations should be made to overspreRd d
the land.