Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-15
DAvITT IN CHICAGO.
he ADDRESSES A BIG MEETING OF
FRIENDS OF IRELAND.
The Political Situation Explained The
Ultimate Success Of Home Rule Predict
ed Despite the Present Outlook.
LBr teIerrnnh 70 the pIspatch.l


Congressman John r. Finerty, who IN.
trodueed Michael Davitt. whose APP
peAranee was greeted with tremen-
dous cheering. On the platform
were Alexander Sullivan, ex-presi-
dent Of the Irish National League;
Patrick EgAn. president OF the League
Matthew p. Brady, John Boyle O'Riel-
~. and others.
Before Mr. Davitt was introduced
Chairman Finerty made a short bat
fiery speech. Matthew p. Brady then
read an address in the same vein from
the Executive Committee Of the united
Irish societies Of Chicago TO the people.
The address while contemplating
with satisfaction the result Of the par
hsDentary party under the leadership
of Mr.. PARCEL so far as they have
obtained for the Irish cause the APP
prevail and sympathy of civilized ma
TONS" maintained that the restoration
Of Ireland's legislative authority
"will not be accomplished by the ef-
forts of Irelsnd's representative in the
British Parliament alone" and that the
Irish people have the right " to resort
to every means necessary to accomplish
their delIyersnce.
Mr.. Davitt said s. To give you some
thing Of an accurate idea of the present
crisis in Ireland, it will be necessary'to
allude TO some circumstances with
which you are doubtless already fami-
liar. The defeat Of Gladstone's mea-
sure Of home-rule in Parliament, and the
rejection by English electors of the
appeal which be made against
this decision, have placed the reins
of Government in the hands OF the
Uttered enemies Of Irish national
sentiment. This is not so much
Of a mis- 'ortune for the cause Of home
rule itself as for the evil consequence
which the postponement Of the ques.
ton cannot fail Of inhicting upon Ire.
land through continued turmoil and
agitation. The methods which were
resorted TO in accomplishing the lefeat
Of Gladstone's efforts were as mean and
inscriptions as the triumph achieved
will be fruitless and tleeting. Mr..
Gladstone appealed to the heads and
hearts of the British people to right the
mighty wrong which has inflicted un-
told misery upon Ireland. Nations, like
man. are made up of good
and bad qualities. The appeal for
Justice to Ireland was addressed
70 what is good in English nature. The
counter appeal was msde by the Tories
and Unionists to the PIE, uIice, bjsOtry,
and fear OF tIeir cOunTytnen, with the
result that the meaner traits 10 the
English character have triumphed for the
time over the better. There are, however,
associated with this defeat OF Glad
stone many circumstances which 60 to
prove that the victory Of his opponents
was but Pyrrhonic. The weapons with
which he was assailed were such
as can never again be Of the same
service to the enemies of home-rule.
Division and disorganization in the
Liberal party made the task under
taken doubly difficult for its leader
yet, Notwithstanding the superior
organization Of the Tories, the frantic
cries of the empire and Professionalism
in Danger and the boiling Of Cham
berlain and Harrington, the proposal to
grant to Ireland Parliament Of her own
was endorsed by Scotland and Wales
and supported by over 8 million of
English voters. But this support,
surprising as it is when cOnsid-
cred in relation With the evils Of
the past seven years, would have
been fer greater had Gladstone not
weighted his home-rule scheme with his
land purchsse bill. This unfortunate
proposal was a milestone around the
neck Of the defeated measure. The
taxpayers Of Great Britain were
frightened at the idea Of having Irish
landlords bought out at the expense of
the British eychequer, and consequently
Tie universal cry went forth against
the purchase bill OF the Government.
This opposition TO buying out the Irish
landlords is in itself a significant
sign Of the times and victory for the
Irish Land-RefOrmers, as well as 8 tri-
butte TO the movement of the Land
League, which began this assault upon
the citadel of Irish laDdlordism. II
England will not buy out its territorial
garrison in Ireland the landlords must
ultimately surrender to or make terms
with the Irish nation. There is
a circumstance connected with the
uDpopulsrity Of the land-purchase
bill so characteristic Of England that |
point the moral with it. While the
Irish land question was simply mat
ter Of rsck-rent and eviction between
the ADglo-Irish landlords and the Irish
people. English public opinion upheld
the sacred rights of landlord property,
and denounced as communism and
con6scation the doctrines Of the Land
League, which affirmed that the pro-
perty Of Irish landlords in soil had
an unreal value, while the institutions OF
lsndlordism itself was but systematic
legal robbery Of the fruits of industry
and enterprise. But mark the change.
No sooner did the English taxpayer
see himself threatened with some
financial risk by the Gladstone pur-
chase bill that be discovered how bad
an investment was Irish landlord pro-
perty. and how unjusti6able thing it
would be 10 give twenty-years' purchase
for so questionable Al article Of value.
~ am aware that there is q feeling
widely prevalent among our kindred
here in America that the defeat Of Glad
stones home-rule proposals is not an
unmixed evil. A similar sentiment
largely obtains among the Nstionslists
at home in many respects. The con-
stitution provided by the bill was
undemocratic. The simulations Of
power, the cnrtailment Of privi-
lege, and the amount of tribute
we're justly unsatisfactory. The safe
guards provided for the interests Of the
British Empire were -idiculOusly unne-
cessary, but they paid an unconscious
tribute TO the determination Of the Irish
race in its struggle for liberty. These
blots in the bill being undeniable, many
men in America charged US with weak