The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-19
IRISH ELoQUENCE.
AN EXTRACT FROM THE SPEECH OF
SIR CHARLES RUSSELL,
IN the Course Of Which He Defends the
Land League and the Gentlemen Who
Were Most Prominent in Organizing
and Sustaining It.

and sustaining 1t.
The following is the passage in which
Sir Charles Russell introduced the subject
OF the Land League in his great speech
before the Parnell Commission:
my Lords, there are several men whose
names will come before your Lordships in
very considerable prominence, and who
have been brought together in this Land.
League movement, drawn from different
parts OF Ireland, pursuing different occu-
pations. belonging to different classes Of
society," meeting upon one common plat
form, the platform of the Land League.
And one question your Lordships will
have to answer. The question which your
Lordships will have to answer is, as fully
conceive, what is the link that bound
these men together; what was the motive
that brought them together; did they come
together-for that is the case OF the At
torney-General-as criminals with crimi-
nal intent and criminal design under the
sham Of apretended land movement to re.
dress IA pretended land grievance, or did they
come together as men earnest for their
country anxious that its time OF trouble
should pass away, to lift at last from its
shoulders part of the oppressive burden
q which lay upon it? My Lords, upon your
answer to that question must, with my
humble submission to your Lordships de-
pend the issue OF this commission upon
N this part Of the case. For, let ii not be
Xspgotten, the case which the Attorney
4 General has been instructed TO put forward
7 is not the case OF crime accidental, Incl
dental, to the stirring up Of the popular
feeling in the community upon question
as TO which they were equally interested;
the charge is, The case made is, that these
men met together and of design aiore.
thought carefully calculated and deliber-
ately applied system OF murder and Of
Outrage, under the cloak and pretence OF a
land league movement Of reform.
"Aly Lords, who are these men2 | will
mention the names OF some OF them
Among them were Mr.. Patrick Egan and
MIR. Biggar MIR Bigyar is n man in busi-
ness in the town OF Belfast; a man I'M
Il questionably OF considerable ability, Of
considerable resolution; q man who pro-
posed TO himself, II one may Judge from
u his preliminary career. not 10 regard in tho
N least the conventional sentiments OF con-
duct Of those among whom he moved, but
TO act with regard solely and simply to
conducting his Parliamentary conduct and
his conduct out OF doors, rs 10 how he
could best advance, within tie law, the
cause Of the Irish people. Mr. Biggar
was, like Mr. O'Connor Power and two or
Wihree Others | could mention to your Lord
ships, also when Il young man a member
OF the Fcnian body. So was Mr.. Patrick
p. Egan, who in hls turn was a Dublin trades
man, man widely respected, and still 70.
4 spected, and rs TO whom, Tor ho is not here
To defend himself, ] will say that he has
BEEN made the especial object OF attack,
and as to whom hope to demonstrate to
your Lordships, upon the evidence rs il
stands, that whatever may have been his
late career in America, OF which | know
nothing that there Is no: a scintlla OF evil
|r~e upon which any man Of honest
~ igent can pronounce condemnation Of
airick Egnn for anything which he
Zone or can prove 20 have dono In Ire
yan England. Both Mr. Biyglr and
nIjr.ck Egin, before Mr.. Parnell
HYa prominent position in politics,
N-|membcrs OF the Home Rule AssoCia.
80. .'ttaIt0' MIR. Butts. They joined
A ilat associ"' a. the hope that good
| lwould come o. a., nd before joining It'll
do not know what fhs expression 20 use Is
\ they were druraned out OF, or at all
Y events ceased to " members Of, the secret
N f.,ciety or Fenian Brotherhood.
r. at may surprise your Lordships 30
NJ know Fit certainly has 10 some extent
surprised me to kJbw it-ior | have not
lived in Ireland 10 those days, that a mum
bcr OF men or good character and good
Education. who despaircd Of any good
,from constitutional or open political move
ment, at one time were members Of the
Fenian body. But 80 Il was. Those two
whom have mentioned formed part Of
the party which Mr.. Butt led in the House
0f Commons and which he continued
urncticaly 10 lead up 10 the time Of his
death-Mr Biggar WIS in Parliament, Mr..
Egnn was not-which occurred, ! think,
In 1879. Another whom | must mention
II Mr.. Thomas Sexton, although he took
part at later day IN the movement, now
Lord Mayor OF dublin, man who was nj
one time editor OF n Dublin newspaper.
[ and for a long time earned his bread 10y
his pen asa contributor OF articles 10 news.
papers aud magazines. Mr.. sexton, my
Lords, YOU will see before you / think all
fhree we're members OF the council OF Nv.
Butts home rule movement, aud that
movement began NJ far back rs the month
Of NAV, 1870, and took It's rise nj a meeting
held in Billion Hotel, Sackyillo street, at
which the then Lord Mayor, the Right
Hon. Edward Purdon, Protestantand Cor.
1ervatiye, Sir John harrington, the High
khern, Sir William Wilde, Mr.. Martin, i.
p, Mr.. Isaac Butt q. C., and n number
! Of others, whose names ! need not cite
pu>1g. king-llarmln, Capt. Edward King.
IIarinan, Capt Edward shaw, aftcrward
for time DR.. Galbmiih, aud DIR. Shaw, OF
Trinity College, Dublin, were members.
And, as am reminded by my friend, the
great majority Of those, think-I do mol
wish 10 dwell upon this dislinciion-werC
Protestant gentlemen Of considerable dis
tinciion Among the subjects for consid
Grafton were the general dissatisfaction
that prevailed In the country In conse
anence Of abscntecisn, the national pov
erty, and the advantage Of n royal resi-
dence In Ireland from political and inan
cinl points OF view. The following rcsolu
ton was agreed 10: Y 'at Il Is tie opin
ion Of the meeting that tae true remedy
for the evils OF Ireland IA the establish
ment Of an Irish Parliament, with lul
control over lroland's domestic ailain
ON May 20, 1870. there was anothe
meeting, when the association was Tor
mnlly constituted. II wnsTesolyed, 'lha
this association Is formed for the purpos
OF obtaining the right OF seli-goyenmon
for Ireland by means Of n national Pariia
mcni, and TO secure for that Parliamen
the right Of legislnting for, and regllatinI