The daily gazette., 1881-12-20
FAT HER snEEmY,s Address.
Telling Ireiand's Wrongs to a VII.
mfngtOn Audience.

Telling Ireiand's Wrongs to WI.
mfDgt0n Audience.
The Rev. Eugene Sheehy, who, since
bis able public efforts in behalf OF Ire
lands cause has been styled the "Pntriot
Priest" arrived In Wilmington from
NeS York last evening accompanied by
John r. Donahoc, who met him in
Philadelphia. He was escorted to the
Clayton House, and after supper was
conducted TO the Opera House, where
be was to lecture. q1A
AT the Opera House large audience
bad ga .hered TO hear the distinguished
orator. Every sea. was occupied and
numbers Of people stood up, making IL
altogether the largest lecture audience
ever drawn together in this city. Henry
q. Turner, Esq, City Solicitor, pre-
sided, aud members Of City Council
occupied seats upon the stage.
Father Sheehy was introduced by
Counsellor Turner and 81 oke for about
two hours. He complimented the peo-
pie of Wilmington for their patriotism
and Interest In the cause, as evidenced
by the large audience present, and then
branched off at once upon the OF jects
and purposes Of the Land League, and
described the past and present condi-
tion of the Irish people. He said they
we're determined In their present efforts
and resolved TO stand by them stead
fastly until justice was secured for Ire
land. 't
He next discussed Mr.. Gladstone's
new Land Act, and pronounced 1t dis
appointing and imperative measure,
that would prove misfortune to the
farmer tenantry should they accept It.
He said the land court established by
this act was defective and disappointing,
II not entirely in Iperative, because IL
lacked proper synpathy ard thor
oughly representative character, by hav-
ing no representative Of the tenant
farmer or agricultural latorer on the
bench.
Referring TO the Land League move
mant, the object of which was the ,ra
OF, oppressive aud tyrahnous land
lordism, he said one effect OF The move
cation was great modification OF sec
tional hatred among the Irish people
everywhere, As many active Orangemsn
are now numbered among the suppor-
ters of the League.
Father Sheehy next drew an amusing
csricature OF Ireland's present condition,
Comparing the distressed country to
COW, with Gladstone holding her by the
horns, q landlord firmly gripping her
taial while an attorney uiled the milk
bucket. He then spoke generally--as to
refer In detail would take more time
than could be included In an evenings
lectuge-of the expressions and terrible
evils attendant upon the landlord Ays
tenn Of Ireland. For four hundred years
II had existed as the most despicable
system that ever disgraced q civilised
nation, crippliDg and demoralizing the
people, and enforcing pauperism, famine
and death. He referred particularly to
the policy of non resident landlords to
consolidate numerous small ten ures
into vast estates, and then, for the mere
purpose Of converting them into cattle
pastures or deer parks, driving off the
tenants, and thus crowding the labOrers
into the small towns to exc out pre-.
carious existence, and 10 many instances
compelling them to face the fearful al
ternatives, starvation or the workhouse.
Yet, Notwithstanding this horrible con-
dhtph Vi aAAilby II W ho SnIUl6 10
obtain from the English landlords in
parliament any favorable legislation, as
the present imperative and non bene
fetal Land Act had only been wrung
from them by The present persistent agi-
ton.
The Land League movement bids
fair to prove the greatest blessing to
Ireland, as its work ls effective and its
influence constantly enlarging. 30
important had become its operations
that he was impressed with the con-
yiction that its battle was almost won,
and that the days of alien landlordism
were almost numbered. 1t now costs
nearly one hundred millions of dollars
3 year to support this system OF op-
preston, and persistent following
up of tho '.no rent" system will soon
drive it out of existence. Two-thirds
Of the tenant farmers are now with
holding their rent, and many of the
landlords are so poor and so much In
debt that charity funds are being
raised in London for their relief.
Father Sheehy said the Land League
was determined to teach the Govern
ment of England that Ireland will not
submit to coercive legislation, and
that another form of government must
be provided. He closed with an earn.
est appeal to the audience to join tho
Land League and stand by it firmly
in the great work Of Ireland's redemp-
tion, for he was satisfied that through
tue instrumentality of the Land
League would the Irish political prob
lem be satisfactorily solved.
His address was frequently applaud
ed, and was listened to with close
attention from first to last.
AT the conclusion of his lecture,
Father Shelby was escorted to the
CLAYTON House, where he was after
wards serenaded by the First Regi-
menr Band. He was entertained by q
cjmmittee OF the Land League until
T., ; o'clock, a. M, when he took the
IT in fnr NaU York