The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1885-09-16
Ireland's Cause.

lT6lduQ Iaus6-
At mass meeting of Irish and other
citizens recently held in the city OF
| Indianapolis, Weep President Hendricks
spoke as follows:
Mr.. Chairman and Fellow-citizens-
Always, whatever may be her condition,
| Ireland will have a devoted and stead
! fast friend in the United States. Some
years ago | was called upon to attend a
meeting of another nationality. When
the war was pending between France
and Prussia the Germans of this city
held very large and interesting meet
| ing to express their sympathy in the
cause of Germany in that controversy.
| felt it right to participate in the
meeting, because the sons of Germany
were deeply interested in that contest.
This is no contest between navies or
between armies, but for the establish
ment of good government in Ireland,
and very specially do | enjoy partici-
pating and joining with you Irishmen
and Irishwomen in expressing the
sentiments you express on this occa-
sion.
What shall be the government of
Ireland? For many years 1t has not
been controverted question that Ire
land has been hardly dealt by. 1t is
known the world over that Ireland,
from the days of Henry Ii until this
hour, has rot had fair play from
Great Britain; on the contrary, she has
been denied the rights of equal citizen
ship, and been despoiled of her lands.
Every Irishman here tonight, every
Irishman in..America is a protest against
the bad governing of England toward
Ireland. How is it that you are here,
having left almost the most beautiful
land in the world? Perhaps no part of
this globe is more attractive than
Ireland, and yet you left Ireland. You
are here because you could not get good
government in Ireland.
Forty-fve years ago the population of
the Green Isle was 100000 of people.
A large population for that region of
country the size of Indiana; to-day,
after the lapse of forty-five years, that
population is only 100000. A loss in
less than half century of 4,000,00 of
people, almost an entire half of the
entire population of Ireland. | know
the famine of 1843 had much TO do with
this bad government and cruelties, but
her landlords have done more than
famine and pestilence to depopulate the
beautifule isle
| would say it is a serious matter
when man, or woman, chances to leave
a home that has been the home of
ancestors for many centuries; and when,
on account of bad government, unjust
laws, and cruel system of tenantry,
there has been driven away almost
half of the population, the question
WHAT IS TO BE DoNE%
comes up. 1t cannot remain always this
way.
The landlord who draws the rent
cannot always enjoy it in Paris and
London; he must have part in the
fortunes of the people of the country or
quit. 1t cannot always be that the
people of Ireland are to be oppressed.
| think the day of tyranny in every form
is to pass away, and that the day is soon
to come when all men will be blest
with good government and just laws.
1t is we'll enough for you and me to
understand just what the political
contest in Ireland is. / chanced to pay
visit to the House of Commons few
years ago, and heard this cause. Mr..
Parnell then, as now, was leader, and
held that in respect to domestic affairs
Ireland should have right to make her
own laws.
There are this fall 100 members of
Parliament to be elected from Ireland.
and Mr. Parnell expects that of this
number his cause will carry eighty or
eighty-five, so that when Parliament
meets there will be of true, tried and
reliable friends of Ireland at least
eighty members. They will go to
Parliament for the purpose of asserting
the right of local selfgovernment for
Ireland. What beautiful system that
will be. They get it from you Irishmen
in America.
Here, | said is Indiana, about The
same size as Ireland, differing not more
in extent than half of Marion county,
with population not half as large as
Ireland. We here would allow no man
TO speak of taking from us the right
AID power of local self government.
We recognize the right and power of
the general government, but what
Indiana with us, is that Indiana makes
her own laws.
The mission of the men to be sent
from Ireland to Parliament is to have
for Ireland what we Indianians enjoy
to claim the right to make her own laws.
Simply because we can regulate our own
affairs better than any one else can
regulate them for us, so Irishmen on
their own soil for that simple rea-
son must be the legislators for Ireland.
That was the great argument first
asserted in this country. One hundred
years has established the fact that local
self-government with respect to local
affairs is the true system of government
in this world
The great trouble in Ireland to-day is
the land; where there is trouble with
the land in any country, the trouble is
exceedingly great
MUCH HAS BEEN DONE IN IRELAND,
to make better the condition of the
tenant, but their land trouble still
exists and it must be regulated. 1t
must be regulated as we regulate such
matters in Indiana, by legislators from
| the soil. No question can arise between
the landlord and tenant in Indiana that
is not regulated by the Legislature, so
| Ireland must have local self-govern-
ment.
Who, in Indiana would trust to any
other State in the legislation for her
schools, in the building up of her in
dustries? So according to Mr. Parnell,
not only the agricultural classes, but the
mechanics, the people of the cities. and
towns, must live, and when Ireland
becomes clothed with the right and
power of local self-government these
matters will be cared for.
That is doctrine so plainly expressed
and so powerful in its application to
human interests that it will never stop.
1t will go on. 1t is not reasonable that
in London the relation of the landlord
and Of the tenant in Ireland shall be
| fixed. 1t is against reason and justice
that such practice should permanently
prevail.
/ When the men to be elected by the
friends of Ireland come to Parliament
it will be to say as one man Local self
government in Ireland" You are
asked to help in this election. There
is to be no mistakes made. At this
election there will be no shams, nc
frauds. Ireland is tremendously in
earnest. Before any man is nominated
he is to give q written pledge to vote