The Irish standard., 1895-02-09
BUT ONE DANGER.
Murmurings and Trreatenings Of
Dissension Which Irishmen
Should Take to Heart.
IRISH QUESTIONS OF THE HOUR
Thomas Sexton, MI. p, Delivers a
Powerful Address Before the
Electors of Kerry.

Powerful Address Before the
Electors of Kerry.
Thomas Sexton, M. p, made great
speech at Listowel, North Kerry, the
borough which: he represents in Parlia
ment, on Sunday, Jan. l3.
We quote from it some passages which
will be read with interest and pleasure
by the friends of Ireland in America.
Said Mr.. Sexton to his constituents:
am grateful for your unanimous vote
of confidence IN myself. am still more
grateful for your resolution determining
to support the IRISH party under the
leadership Of Mr.. Justin Mccarthy, a
man to whom Ireland owes debt which
she can never pay. I thank you most OF
all for the resolution in which you de-
clare that the unity Of the Irish party is
indispensable to the National cause:-that
the Judgment of the party should be
binding upon every member-and that
the decision of the party should not be
made the matter of public dispute to the
detriment of the unity Of the nation. In
that resolution you sum up the wisdom
of the case. You apply to the case OF
Ireland those rules Of conduct which the
experience of mankind has shown to be
indispensable to the conduct of all great
causes. You have summed it up very
briefly in the motto upon your platform,
*'Unity is Strength" Unity is safety;
unity is victory. Disunion lie disaster;
disunion may be ruin, and proud as
feel today of the cordial, unbroken
union existing among my own constitu-
ents, say that can wish to the repre-
sentatives ct Irelaud either now or here
after no better political fortune than to
feel for the cause of Ireland the same
honest devotion which animates the
hearts of the men of Ireland I see before
mo.
1t is beyond all doubt that the failure
of the potato crop this year, especially in
many districts in the west Of Ireland, is
certainly the worst since 1879. =
Several notes.-the worst we ever
had.
Mr.. Sexton-And possibly the worst of
the generation. The public thanks are
due to your local board of guardians for
the action they have taken in bringing
the facts to light, and ae soon as the
facts we're brought to my notice by ths
chairman of your board conveyed them
to the Government. They rested upon
no general resolution; they rested upon
statements of facts made by each guar
dian concerning his own division, but /
may venture here today to express the
hope that as landlords as we'll as tenants
were found testifying that you have only
half or quarter OF potato crop this
year, hope they will remember that i'm
portant fact when the next rent day
comes round.
A voice-The processes are out al
ready.
Mr.. Sexton-I brought to the notice Of
the Government the fact that within
the territory Of this union the yield Of
the potato crop this pear ranged from
one half to one-eighth, in many places
not worth digging.
Several voices-Quite true.
Mr.. Sexton-And so far the result has
been that the Government have agreed
to supply to the case those provisions of
the Seed Supply Act which were put in
force in 1880, and again few years ago.
trust that the Government and local
authorities will take good care that for
mer mistakes are not repeated, that value
is given for the money, that good seed is
obtained, and that the good seed is sold
at 8 reasonable price; il not, the benefit
will be very doubtful, and the burden
will be very excessive. / wish to add
that consider the term Of two years too
short for repayment Of the loan, and that
shall press the Government with con-
siderable confidence for an extension Of
the term.
The present crisis should be met by 9
system Of loans, not to the landlords but
to the occupiers, for the improvement Of
their holdings upon terms as favorable
! as those which were given 70 the land
lords in 1880.
I am conscious, I have said, Of the
shortcomings Of the Government. /
deeply regret that the Government upon
the question Of amnesty has not conceded
what is in substance the unanimous wish
sof the Nationalists OF Ireland I have
spoken in this sense before now. I re-
iterate my declaration here today, that it
aonid be expedient, that il would be
<ighlS u 4 and that y cond not prejudice any