The Irish standard., 1896-07-25
DILLON SPEAKS
What He Proposes Regarding the Edu.
catiOnai Bill.

cationai Bill.
Speaking at q great National meeting re-
Gently held in Belfast, John Dillon. NJ. F.,
chairman OF the Irish party, expressed HIM
self as follows:
81 would like to take this opportunity v,
as cannot now during the session come
often to Ireland-I would like to take this
opportunity Of explaining clearly the posi-
tion Of the Irish party on what is at present
very burning question, the question OF the
English education bill, the bill now before
Parliament for extending relief to the
Catholic and voluntary schools Of England.
Now the Irish party, in spite of it's calum-
MES ard atrocious libels circulated about
them, are the only party to whom these
poor people can look in the House OF Com
mons to defend their rights, and no ca.un-
ny could be more cruel or more cowardly
than that which declared that the Irish
party would turn a. cold shoulder to the
Catholic people OF England: No, the Cath
olics of England can rely upon the Irish
party at all times to defend their people.
feel bound to say that we are prepared to
fight the battle Of our co-religionists in
England in spite of the scandalous libels
against the Irish party because t is bat
tie for the rights Of the Catholics Of Eng
LaliI. duu We, AN0lAO-1clii9So, tsA Y
bound to stand shoulder to shoulder. e
When I hear men talking about the in
terests OF Catholics. when hear, as have
heard some English Catholics talking
about setting the interests Of English
Catholics before the interests of the Irish
national cause always say that think /
see my Way to prevent any rivalry between
these interests; but hold, and am free to
maintain before any assembly IN any part
OF Ireland, that the greatest Of all Catholic
interests to us is the interest of the Irish
nation. Where would Catholic.ty be n
England, where would Catho-icity be the
wide world over wherever the English
language is spoken, but for the prosecuted
and down trodden Catholics of Ireland that
have carried that faith throughout Eng
lard, Scotland, America, Canada, Austria
lia and New Zealand? Why, if the Church
were trusting to the Catholics OF England
1t would be mighty little the Church would
have to say to those countries. The great
est Of all the Catholic interests is the ele-
walton and the education OF the people OF
Ireland, who are the most faithful children
Of the Church. 1t is in that faith shall
be guided in my. action in Parliament.
''You are Belfast Catholics, but you are
also Irish Nationalist In my deliberate
Judgment the time shall never arrive when
the two interests will collide-the interests
Of Ireland and the interests of the Cath
olios Of Belfast-but say so strong Is my
faith and my conviction of the principle,
the seh-sacrifce and the nationality OF
Belfast, that I believe that if tomorrow the
Catholics of this city were called upon in
some great hour Of national danger and
distress to waive for moment their own
rights as Catholics, and proclaim them
selves as I1.shmen, even at the risk OF a
temporary postponement OF the vindieation
Of their rights, Belfast would rise as one
man. to dc so. That time will. never come,
because your interests are bound up mex
tr:cably with the interests OF. the Nation
alists OF Ireland. You are Nationalist
and you are United 1rishmen; You are for
a United Ireland; and in that faith believe
you viii remain ready and firm; you will
be what you have ever been, faithful to
the principle of Ireland. a nation, willing
to take your stand with the millions Of
your COUNT ymen from the south to the
north. from the east to the west. willing to
march forward, shoulder to shoulder, main
taiuing yosrr ranks unbroken, and not al,
lowing anything to withdraw you from
these ranks until you have succeeded I'M
union with your countrymen in planting the
flag Of Irish freedom, which may wave over
a happy and prosperous Ireland.
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