Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-11-09
Mr.. A. NJ. Sullivan on Irish Affairs.

In his lecture ct Boston Sunday night on
'lrsh Affairs" Mr. Alexander Martin Sulli-
van eX-member of Parliament for Meath,
referring to the charge that the Irish care
turbulent and violent in their conduct and
political contests in Ireland, said they
were occasionally SO, but that they were
rightly so. Il know Il spot" he added,
''wherc we could once have seen people
throwing cargocS Of tea into the harbor.
These people were turbulent, and they were
resisting the authority of the crown. And
is it i'll the neighborhood of Bunker Hill that
| am to hear anything about the Irish being
turbulant in their resistance to oppression?"
After denying that the land league doctrines
inculcatcd commercial immortality, he de-
scribed the process ofpassive resistance to
eviction. when upon the landlords refusing
to accept rent according to Griffith's valua-
ton the tenants put the money in their
pockets to buy shoes for their children and
bread and tea for their families. Then there
was yell for coercion, and he showed how
"outrages" were manufactured by police
men and sensational journalists
His VeWof the present condition of affairs
in Ireland he stated, in substance, as fol-
lows: I'm our widest hopes, our most am
bilious demands, we never asked for us
much as was given in Gladstones last act
If we had stated ten years ago that it was
possible TO have such an act on the statute
book, we would have been locked up as
lunatics. Already something like so per
cent. Of the wholerental Of Ireland has been
taken off the shoulders OF the people. The
total rental is e15,0OO,000 and at least
e4 900 will be taken off when the land
act closes the first year of its operation. |
call that act the greatest and most tremend-
GUS revolution ever accomplished by legis-
lative effort III Europe. But we are not
satisfied with that. 1t falls short Of what
we require i'll two or three particulars We
want the arrears wiped Off which have been
hanging round the necks Of the tenants
since the famine period. We want the
iniquitous leases which the tenants have
beer made 70 sign annulled. And. above
all, we WANT The landlords OF Ireland to
be compelled 10 sell out to the occupying
tenants. Mr.. Gladstone refuses to make
it compulsory for the landlord to sell,
though wherever he will, and the tenant
will buy, the government advances three
iourths of the purchased money. But the
battle is three parts won. No more will YOU
hear about the wailngs or petitions of Ire
land. She will be known no more before
the world as the tsttered mendicant knock
ING at the door of the worlds charity. She
stands tonight, not whining about opprcs-
sion, but erect and with the glow of life in
her countenancc and the spirit Of dctcrlni-
nation in her heart. Talk no more about
poor Ireland The country is now fully
possessed with great confidence, for the
people have learned how to win-by COM
bination and unity. fail TO find period
i'll the history of our country when we were
so united as we are ut nome to-day. You
have heard about the controversy between
Parnell and Davitt. a few years ago that
controversy would have broken us up into
fragments, bit to-day we let the controver-
sy go ON. But the moment it comes to us
that this controversy is causing dsquictudc
here in America we step in and stop it, for
we will not be divided. Ireland never had
ii more capable or more honest organization
than il has to-day. Trust it Loyalty. 70
the American people | say. Judge kindly
and generously the efforts ola people strug
Cling to he free.