The Irish standard., 1886-08-21
THE IRISH STANDARD: SATURDAY, AUGUST 81, 1885.
MR.. DAVITTs IRISH POLICY.

MR.. DAVITTs IRISH POLICY.
The arrival Of Mr.. Davitt in America
may be said to have begun the cam
paign in this country in the interest OF
the Irish cause. To him the people OF
this country will look for an explana-
ton Of the condition of affairs in Ire
land at the present time and her chances
of success fn the future. At this juno
ture the opinions expressed by Mr..
Davitt should be given due weight.
The success which has attended the
Irish cause so far can be credited to a
great extent to Davitt and Parnell, and
now that these gentlemen have got it so
far advanced it would be great pity
that anything would be done to har-
rass them in carrying it to successful
issue. Therefore harmony should pre-
vail in the ranks Of the Irish people in
America.
Some idea of the interest taken in
Irish matters can be formed when it is
stated that fully $4,000 sympathizers
with the Home Rule movement attended
the meeting at Ogden's Grove, Chicago,
on Saturday last. to hear Mr.. Davitt ex-
plain the situation The meeting was
presided over by Ex-Congressman Fin
nerty. On the platform were Mr..
Alexander Sullivan, ex-president of the
Irish National League, Patrick Egan,
president Of the League, and Matthew
P. Brady, John Boyle O'Reilly, and
others
Mr.. Davitt's appearance was greeted
with >tremondous cheering. After re-
capitulating some Of the circumstances
which led to the defeat of Mr.. Glad
stones measure Of Home Rule in Par
lament, and the rejection by the Eng
fish electorate Of the appeal which he
made against the decision, the speaker
said in relation to. the progress of the
scheme of self-government for Ireland
f'The progress of the Irish cause must,
therefore, not be judged by either an
opti1nist or pessimist estimate Of Mr..
Gladstone's Home Rule scheme. The
institution which ruled Ireland ten
years ago is hopelessly doomed to-day.
The greatest Of England's statesmen,
the prime minister who imprisoned l 900
land leaguers in 1881 has brought for
ward a measure in 1885 which, if car.
ried, would have made some Of those
"ex-suspects'' the practical rulers Of Ire
land. Not only this, but a majority of
the English Liberal party, with mil
lion and half British voters, have en-
dorsed this remarkable change Of policy
on the part Of Mr.. Gladstone. Scotland
and Wales, by the voice OF their elector-
ate, and the British colonies, by that of
their press, sustain the proposal which
would institute in the government of
ireland an Irish parliament for Eng
fish coercion; while ireland itself, H.
stead of being what she was ten short
years ago, is practically master Of her
own destiny within her own limits, and
STANDS to-day the subject of constant at
tention and discussion and sympathy
with the entire civilized world. Our
movement in ireland has to rest upon
two principles Of such unquestioned
right and such universal application
that it is bound to win more and more of
external moral support il we will only
continue to shape and control our ef-
forts in such way as will compel the
dictates Of reason in every right-thinking
mind to earnestly wish MS success--not
only for our own sake, but in the inter
est of universal justice. The entire fab
ric of human liberty stands upon the
foundation OF industry, right and na-
tional freedou-the natural right of man
to obtain access to and command Of the
resources OF the land of the country for
the sustenance of himself and family,
and the right Of the community to gov
ern itself in its own way 80 as best to
promote the moral and intellectual we'll
being of it's people. To repel these
rights is All insuferable tyranny to
vindicate them is not only human duty
but divine Injunction; and among the
struggling nationalities of to-day ours
has the proud privilege Of contending in
the vanguard for these inestiraable
rights, striving to win FOR ourselves the
privileges enjoyed by nations which tri-
umphant liberty has made peaceful and
conservative, while we are asserting for
others these claims which may relieve
them from the struggles and sacrifices,
which we have had to undergo in q
ceaseless contest OF a century's duration.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is some
thing like the position to which the Ire
land of to-day has advanced its cause,
even against forces fifty times more for
midable than those which ever repealed
the efforts Of any other European ma