Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-12-10
IRELAND'S CASE STATED
DIR. GEORGE @. BELTS ON THE
IRISH QUESTION.


Night - ale Views on the Defeat of
Gladstone and Home Rule-1 he Dawn
of Irish Independents Not Far Distant
Prominent Citizens Who Heard the
Eminent Divins-Ris Reception and
Entertainment.
The green mingled with the red, white
and blue in the decoration OF the stage at
Masonic Temple last night. Under
meath the graceful folds of the stars and
stripes was an inscriptional Erin's harp
twined with the everything shamrock.
Beneath this national em blem OF Ireland
stood Rev. George c. Belts and spoke to
one OF the largest audiences that ever
gathered in the hall, on the situation in
Ireland.
On the stage were President Z. j.
O'Connor OF the Savannah Branch of the
Irish National League, Mayor Lester,
Hon. Emory Speer, hon. A. P. Adams,
Hon. Hampton l.. Ferrill, Hon. W. ID.
Harden, Rev. Father Cafferty, Rev.
Father Quinlan, Hon. p. w. Meldrim, Col.
L. NJ. Lamar, Maj. John Schwarz, Capt.
j. B. West, DR.. K. j. Num-, and Messrs. h.
j. Kennedy, Martin Cooley, I. Ii. O'Don-
avian. Il. b. Catherwood, VIM. kehOe,
els Harte.
DR.. Belts was greeted with burst of
applause as he stepped from the wings
and took his seat in the centre ofthe stage.
Mr.. O'Connor in few words introduced
Mr.. T. B. Catherwood, who in turn intro
duced Dr.. Belts. 1t was the second time
that the reverend gentleman has appeared
before a Savannah audience. He was
here little over year ago and spoke In
Catholic Library Hall on the Irish ques-
ton.
At that time, said DIR. Belts, referring
to his former visit, the Irish people were
preparing tor the dawn of Irish lnde-
pendence. 1t was looked upon as thing
of the near future, but, be said, 1t IS the
unexpected that often happens.
No one ever dreamed that "that little
Rnimar' Randolph Churchill would sup
plant Mr.. Gladstone; if any one ever had
such a dream he never told OF 1t.
lrishmen do not believe that the sun
rises and sets with Gladstone, but
they were willing to use him while the
sun did shine. Nov that the bitterness
of what the English cal defeat has passed
and the irish people have had time to
compose themselves and looK out upon
the aspect that the great question of Irish
liberty is assuminS it is proper to ask,
said the speaker, if it was not all for the
best.
There is, he went on, a power that
holds the destinies of nations and a prOVi-
dence that withholds vengeance from
tyrants head until the cup OF
bitterness is full, and then when
it seems that everything is most
secure, when the sky seems brightest,
will disaster come and the nation,
than which there have been many far
more powerful, will be shattered to its
foundation, and its people scattered to the
four corners of the earth. w as it not for
the best then that Mr.. Gladstone should
fail, and that the 1rish people should
suffer little longer? Had he succeeded
IL is not only possible, but 1t IS more than
probable that home rule, which would
have been the result of his success, would
have been hampered with SO many re-
Btrictions that it would have been home
rule only in name-it would
have been the shadow of home rule
only, and why? Because the Irish people
would have been bound in honor and con-
science to have abstained from any acts
which might have tended to breach OF
the peace. All the hopes of the brave
men who have grown gray in the service
of their country would have been de-
feated. Now that Gladstone has been
defeated there are other minds and hands
to guide and work, and there will be no
conditions to be accepted,
DR.. Belts said that he is not an O'Dono-
van Rosa man nor a Michael Davitt
man. II these two, he said, could be
thrown into hopper and ground up, the
one partaking of the other, they might be
made into two very decent Irishmen. He
10 not a conservative who sits on the fence
watching the fight and ready to Jump
either way, nor does he believe in what
Is popularity called moderation. He is
out and out for Irish independence.
DR.. Belts spoke for nearly an hour. In
closing he related the wrongs inflicted on
the Irish people during the hundreds OF
years of saxon misrule and oppression,
recited their rights to freedom, and por-
trayed the hopeful prospects for the sue
cess OF the work now being done in their
behalf.
AT the close of his address DR.. Belts
was welcomed by many gentlemen whom
be met during his former visit here, and
was aiterward escorted to his hotel. He
will leave this morning on his return
home. Upon his arrival from Augusta
yesterday morning he was met at the de-
pot by a committee consisting OF Messrs.
E. j. Kennedy, p. j. OConnor, Martin
COolev, William Kehoe, T. Ii. O'DonOvan
ana Francis Harte and escorted to the
Pulaski House. In the afternoon he was
shown the various points Of interest
around the city.