The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-08-10
VIM. 0'BRIEN AT The HELM.
In spite Of Balfour and the Police He
Addresses the Clanricarde
Tenantry.
THE RESULTS OF ORGANIZATION.
Ooerced, Prosecuted and Oppressed the
IRISH Race Still Lives While Land
lordism is Dying.

IRISH Race Still Lives While Land
lordism is Dying.
William O'Brien's voice has again
been heard in the interest of his fellow
countrymen. This time he speaks to
the Cldnrlcarde tenantry on the issues
Of the day and in his usual forcible
way encourages them to stand by their
guns. Here is his address,: I am de-
friends here in Fortuna. 1t is great
pleasure to me to come back to Fortuna
and to find, after so many vicissitudes
and trials and dangers, that the men of
POrtumna and the men of Woodford
and the men of Louchrea and the men
of Eyrecourt are as determined as ever.
and more determined than ever (cheers),
in the battle against your inhuman op-
oppressor, and against the cowardly
Coercionist Government who are acting
as the accomplices of Lord Clanricarde
(groanslsss, Lord Clanricarde and Mr..
Balfour nave harassed you, and per-
secuted you, but they have not con-
quered you (cheers).
THE FIRST BLOW.
It is almost three years ago since III this
very town of Portumna the first prac-
tical blow under the Plan of Campaign
(cheers for the Plan Of Camraign) was
struck by John Dillon (cheers), by Matt
Harris (cheers), by David SheehY
(cheers), and myself (cheers). Ever
since that day all that men could do
and that devils could do to break your
spirit has been tried. There have been
evictions, there have been cattle raids,
there have been ar1estsand prosecutions
in every shape and form. Your organi.
zation has been outlawed, your meet
ings dispersed, your best men flung
into Jail and bludgeoned by policemen,
and one of them brought home corpse
from Kilkenny Jail. For the last two
years this whole estate has been given
up by the Government to the emer-
gency men and to the marauding bands
such as disgrace no other civilized
country in the world.
FAILURE OF COERCION.
They have done their worst by open
terrorism and by secret intrigue to
seduce you, to dishearten you, and to
intimidate you, and here you are after
all that as united as ever, as nnshakable
as ever in the confidence of your own
organization. in the justice of an over
ruling Providence, and in the awaken
ing sympathies of Che British millions.
We need not step outside of this town
of Portumna for proof both of the
wickedness and Of the absolute and
ignominlous failure of Coercion in Ire
land (hear, hear}. Because it was in
this town that the banner of the Plan
of Campaign was first planted by John
Dillon and myself (cheers),
THE BANNER STILL WAVES.
Ever since that day there is no estate
in Ireland that has been more scourged
and prosecuted with all the barbarities
OF coercion, and yet I return here to
Portumna after three years of Lord
Salisbury's firm and resolute govern
ment, and I find that the banner of the
Plan of Campaign is still floating
uncomfortable over Pontumna Cloud
cheers>. find that the gates of Por
tumna Castle and the gates of dublin
Castle have not been able to prevail
against you (cheers). I find that the
gallant aud prosecuted men who upheld
the flag during all those weary years
that they are as determined to-day as
ever, never to haul down that flag until
it shall have floated in triumph over an
emancipated tenantry and an eman-
cipated nation (cheers). Well, if theY
had failed up to the present, l venture
to say that an event has happened
within the last week which must have
determined the most faint-hearted man
on this estate not to surrender lcheers
and cries Of ''never''). but to dash on
with more ardOr, with more enthusiasm
and with more determination than ever
(cheers). Within the past week the
landlords have read the worst bit of
news that ever daunted their cowardly
hearts since the Land League was
founded (cheers). Mr.. Parnell (cheers)
Mr.. Davitt (cheers) and the whole Irish
party (cheers) have now flung them
selves into the battle to a man. And
from this day forth Mr.. Balfour and
Lord Clanricarde, and the rest of them
will be dealing no longer with few
isolated estates, but the whole combined
might Of the Irish race (cheers), and
/ the landlords will have nobody to thank
TOR that but the dogged cruelty Of men
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