The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-02-04
John BOYLE o,RElLLY
Lectures on Industrious Irlshmen OF
One Century"

Last night John Boyle 0'Reilly lectured ID
City Hall on Industrious Irishmen OF one
Century," to a large audience. Previous to
the lecture reception was held In the
Mayors room, at which many prominent
citizens were present. Mr.. O'Reilly ascend
ed to the platform accompanied by Bishop
Healy, and was greeted with loud and pro-
longed applause. Following him was large
number of prominent citizens, who TOOK
seats upon the platform. Among the gente-
men were Hon. w. w. Thomas, Judge
Webb. Hon. William II. Looney, Colonel
Bradbury, Gen. j, j. Lynch, ex-Mayor
Walker, members of the city government
and others. Bishop Healy said that the OBJ
ject of the lecture. for the benefit OF st.
Joseph's Home in Deering, was well known.
lie said that St. Joseph,s Home is an insti-
tuition of modest pretentions. The lower
part will accommodate twenty lnvalids, and
the upper part is for the convalescing and
the incurable. 1t was not at all designed to
compete with the Maine General Hospital.
In fitting words Bishop Healy introduced.
Mr.. O'Reilly, who was received warmly. He
said in the beginning: The stories we read
in the papers about Ireland may be taken as
cruelty the country has experienced. There
are today twenty representatives of the
country In prison. One of them is not only
in prison, but Is suffering incredible torture
in prison. The outrage may be comprehend
ed If you imagine such man as Mr.. Blaine
being ARE. ted by a foreign country and con-
fined in jail, to herd with the vilest
criminals, to be dressed In their
dress. 1t may be a small thing to read in the
paper that VIM. O'Brien [cheersl refuses to
put on the prison stripes. What would Mr..
Blaine do, what would Mr., Randall do If
they were told TO put on the prison dress,
and that they must have their beard and
hair shaven off? Last night before coming
here | received a telegram from one of the
leading men of Ireland saying, Cannot you
ment of Wm. O'Bren? The voice OF promin-
ent Americans will be listened to in Eng
land"
MT. Sexton, member of Parliament, says
that Mr.. O'Brien is in critical condition. and
he sent messenger to the Lord Mayor ask
ing that the treatment be less severe. The
messenger was called cur, and turned
away. That Incident is typical of the entire
relations between these countries since the
twelfth century. Four hundred years before
Columbus discovered this country the fight
went on in the same way. The will of the
weaker country was as strong then as it is
today. Why is it that this strong country
wills to wrong the weaker one? Men say
fight on the Irish side is purely sentimental.
It is largely sentimental, as largely as it
should be Tor proud people. Outside.
that 1t is profoundly material. The Irish
know they haveby nature, the treasure spot
OF the world If they could yet it for their own.
1t Is in the centre of the commercial world.
Its coasts are indented with bays. Its water
power In unsurpassed. They say it rains
little in Ireland every day, but the rain In
Ireland Is not like the rain of other countries.
That rain has kept the hills Of Iceland green
that In other countries are brown. Men
sailing by have called it the ''green island"
1t has great mineral wealth. Marble, cop
per, sand for making glass, iron, but there
is not a pound of iron mined in Ireland to-
day. ireland is the poorest country and has
been the poorest country in all the world for
many years. Ireland is owned by about 800
men. They own not only the farms but the
cities and towns. These are the same men
who own England and Scotland. They make
the laws for both countries. No
Irishmen in Ireland owns his
own house. No Irishman can buy
an inch of land. These men keep England
quiet by spending the money In England
that they take from Ireland and India and
other places. These men are the same men
ries. These countries were always at peace
until the 18th century. These men have
formed themselves into the great aristoc-
racy."
MIRO 'Reilly spoke at length of Ireland and
its history since the 18th century, and re-
ferred finally to the Industrious Irishmen of
one century," among them being Swift.
Goldsmith, Sheridan. Grattan, Burke, Moore,
O'Connell, Wallace, En- melt, Sullivan, Par
nell, O'BrieD. such men as these" said
the Lecturer, ARE proof of country's great
ness"