National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-04-29
America to Gladstone and Parneil.


The splendid mass meeting held in the
Masonic Temple last night was not au
Irish meeting. In very significant sense
IL was an American meeting, and IL seems
fitting that the earliest opportunity should
be taken 10 give expression to the fact,
when we consider that yesterdays papers
contained extracts from Lord I.orne's let
ter to the London Times, In which the late
governor general Of Canada attributes the
sympathy with Ireland, expressed by
public men Of America, merely to the
desire Of politicians TO catch Irish votes.
Daniel O'Connell said once, with his usual
shrewduess, upon hearing m astonishing
statement, that whenever he heard Of ex-
traordinary things-having been brought up
to the study of law-he always made It his
business to go at once and "examne the
authorities" The meeting last night af-
forded ample opportunity to examine the
authorities for Lord Lorne's opinion, as ex-
| pressed in his recent letter.
The great hall was packed with people,
who listened for hours to speeches from
public men representing more than half the
states in the Union. To falr-minded out
sider the most interesting feature OF the
meeting was tho great variety OF reasons
| given by different speakers for their pres
ence and their sympathy with Gladstone
and Parnell.
Mr.. Butterworth emphatlcally declared
that he was present to express his sympathy
with struggling people everywhere, not be-
cause they were Irishmen or members Of
any other nationality, but because "they
were men," Mr.. Butterworth might have
remained away from last nights mass meet
ing without the fear of single vote to be
deducted from his Irish support at the next
election in Ohio He evidently did not
speak with any fear of the Irish votes be-
fore his mind.
A gentleman, representative from Ten
nessee, was present because he was proud
Of Andrew Jackson's association with his
state, and he felt IL his duty TO give any
help in his power to the country and coun-
trymen Of the New Orleans hero. Tenues-
see would not be likely to repudiate Mr..
Mcmillan even If he had not appeared a:
the meeting last night. 1t was clear that
bis enthusiasm was not worked up merely
to eaten Irish votes.
Mr.. o'IIara, of North Carolina, is strong
enough with his own people to dispense
with his Irish supporters, yet he spoke as
earnestly as II the cause were emphatically
his own, without any reference TO political
interest.
Mr.. McAdoo, of New Jersey, Presby-
tcrian, born in Ulster, gave very clear and
strong reasons-among which fear OF the
Irish vote could not be discerned-why he
appeared upon the platform. In earnest,
serious tones he finished an excellent speech
by saying: "When this country of ours
seemed TO be on the verge OF disruption 0
mass meeting was held in Exeter Hall, Lon.
don, to express what the English people
thought and felt about our affairs; surely
1t is only just and fitting that when the
English people are In considerable of lx,
we should meet in the capital of the United
States to express our feelings upon their
difficulty And Mr.. McAdoo spoke as Il
he were not speaking merely to catch the
Irish vote. Speaker after speaker came
forward and gave reasons why American
public men, conscious of the difficulties
which their own country has had to contend
with, should give what assistance was pos.
sibe to the Irish people, who, for long,
dismal centuries, through evil and through
good report, had kept alive the torch Of
freedom.
In 10 speech delivered last night did
there appear single sentence whlcl
showed desire to make any political cap
ital, There was apparent n very clear ap
probation of the difficulties which al
present beset Gladstone and Parnell, ant
an earnest desire among public men o.
America to offer full, free measure of de
votion to the cause which represents an,
other great triumph for humanity.