The Irish standard., 1888-06-02
MR. DAYI1T AT LIVERPOOL
ae Discusses at Length the Sig
nificance Of the Papal
Decree.
is RESPECT FOR THE CHURCH,
freedom Of Contract in Ireland Means
freedom Of Landlord
Robbery.

Robbery.
A monster demonstration of the Irish.
men Of Liverpool was held in the Com
cert Hall, Lord Nelson street, Sunday
May 49, MI. Michael Dayitt delivered
an address on the present phase of tbs
Insh question. Mr.. Daniel Connelly
presided.
MIR, Dayitt, who was received with
loud cheers, again and again renewed
said he largely agreed with what the
chairman had said, that this was a
critical period in the history Of the
Irish National cause. On this account,
and for other reasons which he would
advance it would behooye him and every
representative Nationalist TO approach
the discussion Of the Irish question at
1.-The present juncture with caution.
| With reference to the recent edict from
Rome against the Plan Of Campaign. he
wished to say that in speaking Of this
!
tended to do so with that respect which
he as an Irish Catholic, owed to the
recognised head of his Church and Of
his faith. He believed in religion, not
only on account of it's divine origin and
it's supernatural mission, but because
/ he believed it once had, and ought to
have now, and would yet have, a social
mission as we'll. He would, therefore,
ON religious grounds and on grounds of
social reform, regret il any word Of his
could be construed as intending disre-
spect towards the Catholic Church, or
any other Church that taught the pre-
cepts of the Christian religion and
morality. 1t was said on the ore hand
that this rescript wzts not to be looked
on as political document, that it had
not any political object in view, ~hile
on the other hand it was universally
said and believed at least in these
three countries-that whether it WAS
intended or not to be q political pro
nouncement it would have that effect in
ireland and here in England. 1t was
always wise and well to consider the
meaning which their enemies put upon
an action thatthey thought would serve
them, and which would injure the other
side, and unquestionably the Coercion
ist papers, from the Times down TO the
meanes5 Unionist rag i'll Dublin, had
hailed the document signed by Cardinal
Monaco as political prorunciamen5o
issued against the Plan of Campaign,
the National League, and the Home
Rule cause in Ireland. That being the
Interpretation put upon it by their op.
ponents, they We're compelled TO recog-
nize it as political document, and he
thought the Nationalists of Ireland and
Great Britain also might be pardoned
if they asked themselves why was this
particular rescript issued at this partic-
ular juncture? Rightly or wrongly the
people of Ireland would believe that
Rome had been induced to strike that
blow at John Dillon and William
O'Brien, owing to false statements and
Misrepresentation made to it by Eng.
lish intrigue and English agents, in
order to poison the heads of the Cath
olic Church against two prominent
Irish leaders. It in no way lesseDed the
gravity of this interference in political
matters in Ireland on the part of the
Holy Office for eminent ecclesiastics to
say that the meaning Of the edict was
after all circumscribed, that it could he
interpreted into document dealing
with NOR ais alone. To say that the re-
script did not condemn the National
cause. or even the National League,
was not enough. That kind of language
tended to imply that Rome could, if she
would, prescribe their efforts TO obtain
liberty for their fatherland. Criticism
of this kind implied that. He did not
say 1t was true, but if it were it would
not have the slightest effect. They
were not to. day better Catholics or more
devoted to the head Of the Church than
Daniel O'Connell was in his days.
(Applause). They were not going to be
one iota behind Daniel O'Connell's po-
litical Independence when he declared
and voiced the sentiment Of Catholic
Ireland, when he said that while the
Irish people were ready to take their
religion and its Interpretation from
Rome they were not going to submit to
political dictation from Rome. Zap
plause, and a voice, Where is o Con
nell's hearty. He said for himself that
this document, if it were concerned
solely with morals and not with political
action, would have been sent privately
in the first instance to the Bishops of
ireland in order that they should study
and interpret it's real meaning, and that