The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1892-08-27
HON. EDWARD BLAKE.
His Speech at the Eighty Club on the Home
Rule Question.

/
to Hon. Edward Blake, the Canadian
statesman, at the Criterion, london. MI
James Bryce, M. P, occupied the chair
and some 200 guests were present. The
guest of the evening having been in 70
duced, Mr.. Blake, on rising to respond
was received with enthusiasm. He
thanked the company for the heartinese
Of their reception and went on to say
| that he could not but recall the only
previous occasion on which it was bis
| fortune to be present at an Eighty Club
dinner in May, 1888, and sat beside
Charles Stewart Parnell, who, as their
guest, made very important speech
That striking man and leader o. men
who had, in q degree so extraordinary
acquired the confidence and devotion OF
his fellow countrymen, who rather COM
! PEELED than conciliated the admiration OF
large masses of the British people, who
in spite of some drawbacks, and notwith-
standing all statements due to his Ia
mentable fall and the tragic end of his
life, would still retain great place in
the history of his generation (cheers)
then sealed anew by bis presence the
cordial alliance which he had formed
between the Irish National and the Brit
ism Liberal parties, and proclaimed once
more his confidence in the good faith OF
his allies, aud illustrated by the nara
ton of new facts the sincerity Of his ad.
herence to the moderate and constitu-
tlonal courses which he protested, and
! exholted his fellow cou utrymen to bear
their ills for season still and to wait in
! pat1ent confidence for the contamination
through Mr.. Gladstone's legislation of
their hopes so long deferred. On that
| occasion they welcomed powerful
| Leader, but tonight they welcomed ono,
who, by what he might say, could COM
NIT 10 one but himself Having ex-
! pressed his admiration Of the work done
| by the Eighty Club, which brought to-
gether all classes of Liberals, who, by
combined and mutual effort could &C.
! complish the objects they had in view, he
proceeded to say that party Of progress,
| party which did not believe that the
prime function Of politician was to
stand until he was forced to move on or
out Qaughter), must make up it's mind to
| find within it's ranks considerable differ.
ences Of opinion consistently with con-
currence in the views held on such ques~
lions which we're ripe for embodiment in
! practical legislation. The Parliamentary
weapons forged under Mr.. ParnelPs lead
| were of such weight and solidity, and of
such temper and keenness of edge, that,
| welded by him, it wrought great things
for Ireland <hear, hear) It showed the
Irish people their strength within Che
! Constitution. What all who had the in
terests of Ireland at heart had to do was
to SEQ that they had an effective bill
The bill might not be in every detail ex.
| actly what some Irishmen would like
butyae Mr., Parnell once said, "any sound
measure should be cheerfully accepted
! and worked with desire to make il q
| success" That was the true view, and
| depend upon it that q substantial mea-
sure would give them a field for action
in Ireland, and would produce SO great q
feeling of content in Ireland that there
would be neither time nor inclination fo1
captious criticism or factious agitation
IT asked what effect Home Rule in
Canada had had on the relations with
the Empire he would say that the long
delay in graphing with the problem Of
| the relations between the mother coun
try and the colonies had resulted in
steadily diminishing the proportion Of
common interests, but he believed the
sentiment Of attachment and respect, oil
loyalty and affection, on thespart Of the
mass of the Canadian people towards the
United Kingdom to be widespread and
| deep-rooted, and he was convinced il
owed what strength and vitality it pos
sessed in a very great degree to the con
cession of Home Rule in local affairs
(cheers). While Ireland could not claim
any part in the decision of England'f
local affairs, she would be unworthy her
self if she did not take share in I'm
perial affairs, and therefore he was
strongly opposed to the exclusion of the
Irish members from Westminster. That
element of exclusion in the last Home
Rule measure seemed to be not only in
defensible in principle but dangerous il
tendency, and he therefore heartily re
| ioiced on it's elimination from the pres
ent proposals. He had no fear as to the
continued supremacy of Parliament, be
cause while he would hope that the I'm
perial Pertinent would not unnecessarily
NEEDLE with the decisions of the Irish
Parliament, yet in the highly improbable
case of ultra wires legislation being pro
posed prejudicial to the general interests
Great Britain could always exercise he1
l