Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-29
IRELAND'S CAUSE.
TIE xAssnxxrrHe HRID IN WASH
IHGToN Last MIGHT.
The Speeches Of Nsssrs. Randall, Riddle
berger. and 0thers-Letter from
Hon. 8. J. Tilden.
IBy telegraph to the Di,patch.l

meeuDg assembled here IN pursuance
OF q call issued by 0 number Of men,
bers Of Congress and businessmen Of
Washington to sympathize with the
Efforts Of Mr.. Gladstone to secure .
parliament for ireland. On the plat
form were seated Senator Van Wyck
and Representatives Randall, Phelps,
Mckinley, Gibson Of West Virginia,
O'Hara, and Glass, and other members
Of the lower house of Congress. Mr..
Randall, in taking the chair, expressed
his profound sympathy with the
cause Of home-rule in Ireland. IAp-
plause.l This meeting, he said, sought
tostrengthen the hands ofMr. Gladstone,
the greatest Of modern orators and
statesmen, in every possible, respectful,
and positive way. America desired
that England should see that justice to
Ireland was safety to Great Britain.
Ireland was entitled to the considera-
tion of the United States, because her
gallant people had on every occasion
been friends of free America. Let us
give, be said in conclusion, to Glad
stone and Parnell all the encourage
ment which we as Americans can ex.
tend. To do less would be base dis
honor. Loud applause.I
Senator Van Wyck spoke enthusiast
tically of the triumph of home-rule,
which was about to be obtained by
Ireland, and rejoiced that Ireland was
encouraged and strengthened by aid,
not only from America, but from the
English people. The American people
had a right to meet in assemblies
like this and bid the struggling
lrisbmen godspeed in their effort,
and especially had the people Of Wash
irgton that right. There was no home
rule here. The same class of men who
denied it to Ireland denied it to Wash.
ipgton. The aristocracy of blood in
England put their foot on Ireland the
aristocracy Of money put their foot on
Washington, and the aristocracy Of
money was the meanest.
Mr.. Randall then read letter from
the Sage Of Greystone. After ac-
knowledgipg the receipt of an invita-
ton to be present at the meeting the
letter continues 81 regret that can
rot be personally present on an occa-
sion so full Of interest. | none the less
join with you in applauding the exer-
tons Of the illustrious statesman Of Eng
land and the great leader Of the Irish peO-
pie in behalf Of the cause Of home-rule.
Their efforts to obtain for Ireland that
full measure of self-goyernment and
liberty which the people Of the several
States Of the American Union enjoy
have my cordial approval and support.
At length | trust the day Of delivery
now dawns upon the rnisgovorned and
oppressed people Of Ireland. Assuring
you Of my earnest sympathy, ! am,
very truly yours.
"SAMUEL J. TILDEN."
[Applause.l
Letters were also received from Sem
ator Sherman, assuring the meeting of
his hearty sympathy in the movement
for home.rule in Ireland, and from Sem
ator Logan, stating that he had ever
been and now was for loosening the
grasp Of the iron hand of England from
the throat of the Irish people.
Representative Gibson, Of West Vir-
gipia, then addressed the assemblage,
heartily sustaining the efforts Of Mr..
Gladstone to secure home-rule for Ire
land. The public sentiment OF Ameri-
ca, he said, was applauding and aiding
Mr.. Gladstone and driving England to
justice for Ireland.
AS Senator Riddleberger rose to adj.
dress the meeting he was greeted with
round Of applause. lie was, he said,
glad to see so many Americans assem-.
bled here, because it refuted the decla-
ration that came from across the Allan
tic that only Irishmen in America SYM
pathzed with Ireland. He had come
here simply to give expression as one
Of the humblest exponen's Of American
sympathy with the cause Of Ireland,
outside Of any expressions that Irish
Americans themselves could give. He
had noted down few things. lie was not
afraid to let it 90 to the London Times
if the constituencies of this country
we're willing to build navy. Zap
plause.l P&rnoll and his associates had
followed the Conservative course, and
while the Irish-Americans and Ameri-
cans must not do anything to obstruct
them when they undertook to aualyze
the policy Of the Gladstone Govern.
ment, il was well to stop and con-
slider if it was all that Ireland
wanted and all that she needed.
When he read Gladstone's bill he
found in it something analogous with
what he bad read in the history Of
American colonies. There was in it
clause that all products that were to be
transported into Ireland should first be
landed in English ports. He thought
Of astute and insidious Lord North.
lie thought Of tea, and then Of Boston
harbor. In this Gladstone bill the
moth was still gnawing in the cloth.
Possibly this was not whole
some diet for this assemblage to-
night; but it was not obliged
TO eat everything set on the table be-
fore it. All customs duties and ali OK
else taxes were to be collected in Eng.
land. That was what Lord North had
proposed for the colonies, and he (Rid-
dleberger) would say to Irishmen
- Organize under the Gladstone Gov
errment. You will get limited home
rule; you will have a Parliament; you
will have base of operations, but after
you have organized agitate until you
have stricken from that bill the
words 'Viceroy Of Ireland Take
advantage Of every situation and
move forward to every breastwork, |
and behind them keep your muskets
loaded. [Applause.l You have made
the grandest statesman England has
produced for fifty years; the greatest,
10 the meanest, coercionist that ever
breathed, until he was cowhided by
Ireland to make q confession of his
wrong. [Applause.l lie would sug-
yest, with becoming Difference, that the
grand old man, as he was called,
i'd restitution to his confession. II
he could do no more he could bring
lome tha Irich natriot vho had heen |