Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1886-08-20
PATRICK EGAN's ADDRESS.

On The opening OF the convention of
the Irish National League in Chicago.
Wedresdav ps4r;ok Ena, ra.;,,o,,.
,7a,;,, ~ su.. 'osi>'ss =
1s'i 'ao 'o''o"'ns "aaiess
Once more the elected delegates of
the Irish National League of America
have come together in national conyen.
ton TO comply with the conditions OF
the constitution, and to adopt such
measures as may seem best for the
furtberance of the great and holy canse
in which we are engaged, We shaIl +
am glad to say, be inspired by the pres-
ence, and aided by the counsel of the
man who, of ali others--pot even ex-
ceptipg our great leader himself--hplas
the warnest place in the hearts OF the
Irish e1lles, the man whom Charles
Stuart Parnell has called the father Of
the Land League-honest. fearless
Michael Dayitt. We shal, also have the
inspiring presence and aid of the natri.
otto, brave, and faithful delegation from
Ireland-my friend William OBrien.
who has banished more snakes and
reptiles s:an. Ireland than am .tha.
man since the deys of st. Patrick. ,iohn
Redmond and John Deasy. In your
name, in the name Of the Irish. Nat;onaI
League league ss -s,s;::;s 49,
gentlemen to our convention with a
hesrty irish American cesd mile failthe.
1t is my privilege and pride to he
able to congratulate Won. tho faithful
members OF the league. unon tbe
glorious progress onr ennse has made
and upon the splendid work Won have
helped to accomplish for Irish nation
ality since we last met in FanuelI hall
Then the infamous crimes not was in
force iu Ireland. Every mans liberty
and llfe were at the mercy of the hired
and trained petiurers OF Dublin castle
Gut of I0S members of parliament re-.
turned from Ireland, less than thirty
could be relied upon to follow Mr..
ParpeIl, while both English parties were
soIidly combined against home rule for
Ireland. 70 even the most sangnine
amongst lis the realization Of our hopes
for the restoration of our national par.
lament, seemed indeed a long way off.
Such, however. are the stridea onr
cause has made since then. that bnt a
couple of months ago victory seemed
within our very grasp. Mr.. Parnell cnn
now connt instead of following OF
twenty-five or thirty, q formidable party
of eighty five. Coercion, as a system. +
believe, dead. Not even the clustering
and blundering tories will dare to resort
to IT. Three successive governments.
have been oYerthrown within nine
months on the Irish question. From
Dublin to Eastern India on the one side
and Calift rnia on the other; from Nor
way to New Zealand in the renters of
diplomacy in Europe-Berlin. Vienna.
Paris, in St. Petersburg as we'll az in
London, the struggle for Irish liberty is
keenly watched, and English statesmen
have come to learn that the measure of
Engiand's influence amongst tIla nations
will be in proportion to the peace that
reigns In Ireland and that there can be
no peace with Ireland or with the irish
race until Ireland obtains home rnIe
The greatest of English statesmen has
made home rule cabinet aues-
tion, and while Mr.. Gladstone has for
the moment gone down before the
force of English prediudice and En1lish
ignorance, the banner of home rule for
Ireland will, in his own words. "bs horne
with the firm hands of the united peo.
pie, perhaps not to an easy but to
certain and not far off victory" think
our friends from the old land will tell
you that in the achievement of this pro-
grese, the aid, material and moral.
rendered to the cause by YOU of the Irish
National league of America. has been nm
important factor. Since the Boston
convention the national treasurer.
Father OReilly, has forwarded to the
national league at kome, and TO the
trustees. of the rarliamentary fund the
sum of $500 600. OF that. S75 600 reached
the hands of Mr.. ParnelI on the ave Of
the election of last fall, and we had the
great qualification of receiving Mr..
ParnelPs assurance that it enabled him
to win victories he could not other
wise have secured. One hundred
thousand dollars were remitted
by cable within ten days during
the campaign of last month. and
100000 but few days ago. Your
executive, apprecia ting the great value
of public opinion, adopted varione
methods to snliehten the American
public on the Irish cause, and the .warm
and vigorous outbursts OF purely Ameri-
can Endorsement which from one end TO
the other of this great country greeted
the introduction by Mr.. Gladstone of
his home rule and land bill--indorse.
ment SO highly appraised by Mr.. Glad
atone himseIf--at.ests the success of our
efforts. 1t Is not too much to claim for
this league of ours, that NOT only has it
done it's part in aiding and supporting
the struggle al home, but that it has
made the cause of ireland respectable
ana respected amongst Americans, and