The Portland daily press., 1886-06-02

fhe wrongs of English laws, and, often
times by hunger The State of Maine can
have no sympathy with the sentiment of
Lord Salisbury in his reply to Gladstone,
when he says substantially to the people Of
Ireland, ''If you don't like the situation; If
you object to our ways, our government, our
heavy hand, and our coercion, clear out
bag and baggage. We don't want you star
wart men; we intend to govern you ana Saate take
does not like that kind of religion or policy.
In religion it destroys the beauty OF that
sentiment which enjoins upon us, as ye
would that men should do to you do -ye also
to them likewise" In government II places
come the cast-off 'stalwart men, of Ireland
to our shores, for our inheritance is immense;
our institutions are for the people; we rec
ognize the sovereignty of God, which, In
other words, is akin to the sovereignty OF
the people; our lands are free, and Uncle
Sam is rich enough to give us all a farm"
If 'salwart" lrishmen who are working
men and the prime producers of all the
wealth of that island cannot have at home the
inalienable rights, which the God OF nature
intended for all, let them comelto the State of
Maine and cultivate in an independent way
the $1,000 square miles of our unoccupied
and fertile SOIL and let Lord Salisbury and
s'the rabbits" which she covers occupy the
worn and desolate fields of Ireland.
Our country and State are indebted to the
Irishman; his patriotism has been true to
the national flag in all our wars; the, giant
power of his muscles has built our railroads,
and added to our material prosperity: Inc
eleemosynary and humane institutions to
which he willingly contributes have raised
the standard of humanity, and relieved hu-
man suffering. He has made good citizen.
There are great questions upon which the
human voice and human endeavor should not
be silent. Those questions which primarily
involve the liberty, happiness and sa1ety OF
Nrhio rQplIlatQ0 bV
the principles of Divine laws, to which we
all should be willing subjects and boldly de-
fend. The eloquent peroration OF Gladstone
in his nobleSt and most able address reminds
me of an approach to the position oneestaken
during anti-slavery timeslby the late William
II. Seward, the greatest statesman OF his pc
riod; then he held, that the force of the high
er Divine law supported by the conscience
of the nation, should be regarded and should
regulate all human laws, in the settlement OF
great national evil.
Mr.. Gladstone in the same spirit says, Il
ask that we should rely less on mere written
stipulationS and mere on those better Stlpula-
tionS written on the hearts and minds OF
men as matter OF practice and OF NE. he
declares "that the best and surest founda-
tian we can find to build on is the foundation
afforded by the affection and convictions and
the will of man, and that 1t is thus, by the
decree of the Almighty that, far more than
by any other method, we may be aple TO
power and the permanence OF the Empire.
We assembled here tonight in the interests
of peace, and we desire peaceable solution
of this great question, which should and can
be done after the manner and by following
the advice and example of VIM. ID. Seward
and VIM. E. Gladstone, the two great states
men of the nineteenth century, by an appeal
to the conscience, convictions ana Will OF
man. We have, as you all know, the past
week celebrated the one hundred and hftletn
,,,1fxr roffh cot m (rnrhQm and
what constitutes the power. progress and
happiness of its people, is largely due to the
fact that from its early history those who
cultivated the soil were the proprletors and
owners of the land they cultivated. The
1rst public meeting ever held in Gorham
was called and managed by the actual pro-
prietors oflthe land, and eyerisince they have
had voice in and practically directed all
the affairs of the town:
What is true of Gorham is true OF every
town in our State. Thus aggregated, the
people of our towns make our laws and con-
troll our government. We have in Maine a
just distribution of q, 100000 acres OF land
Our improved lands and cultivated helds OF
100000 of acres are practically owned and
cultivated by $4,000 farmers. Ireland has
also the same number of square acres as the
State Of Maine, but is largely held by aristo,
cratic land owners; ITO land owners hold
1900, coo acres of land, an amount equal to
the area of all the improved lands OF Maine;
1ulS lil6VudllUi VI pIOpllOtOlDlAP 10 WhAo
constitutes on the one hand the independ-
ence and happiness of the people OF Maine,
and on the other hand a corresponding de-
pendence and abject poverty among the eul-
tivators of the soil in Ireland. 1t is to estab-
lish in Ireland the same rights and privileges
and the same happiness that the people of
Maine enjoy for which the noble Parnell is
contending, and in his work he should have
the sympathy of all our people. God in
tended this world for the happiness OF It's
;x0I LIANT nxxr
land is essential for happiness. Edward
Everett has truly said, words cannot paint
the feelings of the owners of the soil. Gold
cannot buy them. They flow out OF the
deepest fountains of the heart; they are the
spring of just, healthy and generous ma
tional character"
At the conclusion of his remarks, Gov.
Robie stated that he had been requested to
announce that Hon, James G. Blaine was in
the city and would be at the hall and speak
after the address to be delivered by Rev.
Father McKenna AT this announcement
the applause was loud and long continued.
Father McKenna was then introduced and
greeted with applause. His address was de-
liyered clearly and with much rhetorical eff
feet. His remarks follow
FATHER McKENNA's SPEECH.
II.
The Irish question has double aspect for
rs: it is at once sentimental and practical.
The sentimental side is the desire to govern
themselves. The practical side Is the right
to own the land which God gave them, and
thus place their material prosperity. on a dur
able basis. The people desire self-govern-
ment by parliament of their own. The
considerations which create this desire and
justify it are four. Self-government is one
of the four pillars upon which necessarily
fo1ar Of mol q nd m q
terial greatness. The nation does not live
thst can rule another people without wrong
ing them. That is one of the acquired facts
of history, and England's record proves 1t
but too well. The four pillars upon which
rests the greatness of people are education,
religion, their industries and self-goyern-
ment. Take away any one of them and the
idea of nationality distinctive nationality
is Immediately mutilated. 70 borrow
figure from algebra, it is like an equation
without one of its terms, and the correct
answer to the problem can never be given
until it is found.
As far as Ireland is concerned, the aim of
Ireland's lovers and supporters is to restore
Ireland to the fulness of her rights, in the
restoring of these four things, from which
She has been defrauded ever since this un-
natural union between her and England was
established L. e. the union of the sharklwlth
its prey, as Lord Byron only too aptly styled
it. For the aim of the English system has
ever De6u 10 TOD VI tlc tOuoOldbioho
of her religion, deprive her of the Dement'S OF
education, crush her industries, and, to
crown the infamy, stifle her national voice
by forcing her representatives into the halls
of alien imperial legislation. Instead oil
granting the demand which she applauded
| the Greeks for demanding month ago
Home Rule.
mentioned religion as one of Ireland s
| national needs. Let me not be misunder,
stood. This struggle is not for religion. II
| does not and it never has entered into the
| minds of Irishmen to make this dis
! tinctively religious struggle. The Catholic
| of the South seeks to unite with the Pres
| byterian of the North; priests and ministers
| stand on one platform in this question-in
| this struggle-and the man who. prates about
| guaranteeing the religious rights of the
| minority, if home rule is carried, does II
either through ignorance or malice, OF
| perhaps is paid ont of England's secret ser
| vice fund. We know something about the
| workings of that fund even in this country
| We diSown such men and such sentiments
| mol thank God! the day of religious strife
| in Ireland-and, l hope, in every other coun
| try-is buried forever
| am sure that / represent the sentiment OF
| every clergyman of my church when say
| that in this struggle we know of none Of
| those differences which unhappily but hon
estly divide us. We clasp hands on a com.
mon platform with every man regardless OF
| creed, race, opinions prejudices and politics
| We stand on the broad ground of American
| citizens, seeking to perpetuate for them
| selves and to guarantee for others the bless
| ings of universal constitutional freedom.
sxMr. Seward, years ago, voiced Imposition