The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-10
MR.. PARNELL'S PROGRAMME.
The Text of the Speech Made by the
Irish Leader at the Dublin Banquet.
The End and Aim of the Irish Parliamentary
Party-It Means to Demand Legisla.
tive independence for Ireland.

mentary triumphs, took place this evening in
the Imperial Hotel Sackville street was blocked
by crowds and bands from shortly after o'clock,
and the people loudly cheered the members as
they arrived The reunion was confined strictly
to members of the party, prominent Nationalist
outside that circle being rigidly excluded. Mr.
Justin Mccarthy, NJ P, presided. Mr.. Parnell,
who was received with loud cheers, said
I shall not venture to follow you, sir, in
your kind words regarding myself and the
ieeilnSs 81 lnSS DarJy toward myself I will
only say that IN my experience of our
parliamentary movement during the epoch
we nave Jusu closed have always CON
sidered that ought to think a great deal more
and to value my colleagues great deal more
highly than they should value me for my serv-
ices In looking back upon these years we
might, perhaps tonight be tempted to refer to
our legislative ACHIEVEMENTS; but feel convinced
that L interpret your sentiments best, as GER
tainly express my own, when I say that each
and all OF us have only looked upon the acts
the legislative Standardization we have
been able to wiring from unwilling parla-
ment as means toward an end cheers], and that
IN the hour of our deepest depression and great
est encouragement should have spurned
and rejected any measure, however tempt
Ing, however apparently for the benefit OF
our people, if we had been able to detect
lative independence OF our land. Although dur
ing this Parliament, which has just expired, we
may have said very little about home rule, very
little about legislative independence, very little
about the repeal of the union, yet l know we'll
that through each of our hearts the thought OF
how these good things might be best forwarded
was never for moment absent and that no
body OF lrishmen ever met together who have
more constantly worked, and worked with a
greater effect, for that which always must be the
q re raQE arpiun
We might l say, refer to those legislative
achievements We might refer to the land act,
an admirable measure In its way, even I'M
thought-of measure at the time when many of
US have come into political life. We might refer
to the arrears act we might dwell on the fran
chise act. under which almost manhood suf
frage has been conceded to Ireland;
we might recall to our recollection
despite the open hostility of one party and the
badly concealed envy of the other. we succeeded
in getting in the new Parliament the full repre-
sentation Of Ireland without the loss of a single
man. But these things, although important in
themselves, are not, as | have said, the end and
aim of our existence as party; and although
we cannot refuse, and never have refused good
measures-athough We have always, and wisely,
L think, made 1t part OF our programme to gain
for ireland such concessions as might be got at
the time, provided we did not sacrifice greater
and more enduring national interest-yet we
have always got before that we were sent
from this country not to remain loug in West
Minister but to remember that it was for us to
look upon our presence there voluntary one,
and to regard our future, our legislative future,
as belonging to our own native country of Ire
land.
therefore prefer not to dwell upon these i'm
portant legislative nents-which as | have
said, are all of them means to an end-but to
consider two things which are even more pleas
ing to my mind than any such matters. look
back with fondness upon your actions during the
last five years. look back with admiration
upon the position that the party has achieved
for itself. Mr. Mccarthy was good enough to
say thatto my leadership think that was the
term he used-that to me was due the credit and
the honor. 1 cannot indorse that statement.
Mr.. Arthur OConnor: But we do."I They say
a bad workman finds fault with his instruments,
but certainly l have not been able to find
fault with my assistants. I do not wish to imply
in any respect that [ claim for myself the posi-
ton of good workman. The goodness of the
work is due to my colleagues. think that few
can estimate the extraordinary ability, the won
derful industry, the genius of discipline, the alb
solute self-negation the unselfishness. the cour-
age ana the devotion that has been displayed
by each one Of you; and it would require a
knowledge such as l car only have, and it would
require tongue or pen far beyond my power
to hand down TO history my opinion Of your
services to your country. | cannot attempt the
task OF describing or estimating the enormous
Importance and value of what you have done
to close. can only say as regards myself that
those services have been my constant admira-
tlon have marveled that it was possible for
any nation, for any country, to get together
such body OF men under any circumstances l
marvel that it should have been possible for
Ireland In her position, with all her talent her
supposed. best talent, divorced from her with the
terrible engines and means which have been used
to terrify. to cajol, and to persuade her sons to
enlist under another flag than her own. It is g
n ms hat rat,c CT hoxy haay,
dispensation of Providence-that it could have
have been possible for our country to have
found such sons, and TO have been served as
she has been served during the five
years of the Parliament of 1880 to
1855 And what is our present positions
1t is admitted by all parties that you
have brought the question of legislative indie
pendence to the point of solution. 1t is not,
surely, question of self government for Ire
land; 1t is only question to how much of
this self-government they will be able to cheat
us out OF. 1t is not now question of whether
the Irish people shall decide their own destinies
and their own futures which, was going to
say our English masters, but l am afraid we
cannot call them masters in Ireland-it is q ques-
ton with them as to how far the day, what they
consider the evil day, shall be deferred. You
are therefore, entitled to say that SO far you
have done we'll. You have almost done miracu-
lousy we'll, and we hand to our successors an
unsulled flag and battle more than half won,
and a brilliant history. We now come to the
question of the future will not say that we
come to the question of the choice of our sue
cessors, because hope none of us will have any
successors. We come to the choice of our future
colleagues I suppose it will be necessary for
each of us to take q future colleague under his
wing in the new Parliament We shall each be
mated we shall each have a new member to
conductinto the mysteries Of the alien assembly.
But undoubtedly. upon the choice of our future
colleagues and their subsequent action WILL in all
human probability. depend without evaporation
the future OF Ireland and the fate of the nation,
at all events in our time. There is, therefore,
great responsibility-an unprecedented response
bility-now thrown upon the constituencies in
regard to this question of the choice of our flu
ture colleagues; and there is a considerable re-
sponsibity thrown upon us, too We ought not
to be very modest in the present position of af-
fairs. We shall undoubtedly require in the new
men or the Irish party the best ahility, the
tn md i,,Ho IL