Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-06-02
BLAINE's IRISH PLAN.
An Imperial Parliament and One for
Each Country of the Empire.


Each Country of the Empire.
PORTLAND, Me, June 1.-The home
rule meeting to-day attracted an immense
throng and many ladies. Gov. Robe pre-
sided. After several local speakers had
addressed the m Getting, Hon. j. G.. Blaine
was introduced. He was received with
tremendous applause. MIR. Blaine said:
YOUR EXoELLENCY: Directly after the
publication of the call for this meeting re-
ceived letter from venerable citizen In an
adjacent county asking me TO explain, II
could, just what the Irish question il. | ap-
preciate the question. or rather / appreciate
his request for an explanation Of the question
that calls forth 40 much sympathy and senti-
ment on the part OF the world at large, and
evokes 40 much opposition among
those those who are directly interested.
There may be danger of not giving
attention enough to the simple elementary
facts of the case Now, what 10 home ruleY
Why, IL is what every State and Territory of
the United States enjoys [applausel, and IL
Is what ireland does not enjoy. In n Parlia-
ment Of 65S members, Great Britain has 558
and Ireland has l05, and except with the con-
cent of that Parliament Ireland cannot
organize gas company laughter or
horse railroad company, or ferry
over stream [laughterl, or do the slightest
thing that implies to legislative powers. Now
suppose we Driug that home and the State OF
Maine should be linked with the State of New
York, relatively as large, with the state of
Maine. rs England in mum bersiwith Ireland,
and your beautiful city here could not lake n
step for its own improvement nor the State of
Name organize corporation OF any kind or
charter company OF any kind unless the
overwhel ming galaxy of the New Y York Legis-
lature gave her consent. How long do you
think the people of Maine would stand itp
Applause. That IA simple question be-
tween England and Ireland, except that
there rs great fact In addition which
would not apply TO New York and Name;
that there are centuries of wrong which
have built upon monuments OF hatred on
the part of those who are subjects of oppres-
sion, and which have aggravated the question
between Ireland and Great Britain far be-
yOhd the limits that would be found between
New Y ork and Maine. suppose IL the ques-
tiOn were left TO the United states to decide
we would say; adopt the Federal system.
Have your legislature for Ireland. your egis-
lature for England, your legislature for
Wales, your legislature for Scotland and your
imperial Parliament for the British empire.
Let questions that arc Irish be settled by
Irshmen, questions that are English be settled
by Englishmen, questions that are Welsh
be settled by Welschmeu. and questions that
are Scotch be settled by Scotchmen' An
plause. Let questions that affect the whole
empire OF Great Britain be aettled by Pariia-
ment, in which the four great constitutional
elements shall be impartially represented.
tApplause. l say that would be a shorthand
method of settling the question, for we have
lived that way for nearly 100 years in the
United States Of America. Applause.
With this introduction Mr.. Blaine spoke
at great length, and was frequently APP
plauded,