The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-06-27
E!DFlRD BLAKE ON UNITY
Urges the irish People to Cast Aside
Their Differs
ences.
rHE co1lBa GREAT CONVENTION

Il ~
Does Not Look for as Large 4 Repre-.
sentation AS There Should
Hon. Edward Blake, NJ. r., recently adj
dressing great Nationalist gathering at
Mallow, County Cork, Ire, had this to say
on unity and the present condition OF at
fairs Ireland:
Why is there apathy abroad among the
| greater Ireland beyond the seas? have
in gthat nothing partisan should be in
seen many Of the leading men in every
country, in the United States Of America
and in the Australian colonies within
the last few months, and there's but one
voice, a voice bewailing the dissensions
and calling upon us, and I. give you in
my own words the solemn message from
them with which was entrusted on this
my first opportunity of delivering it now
to call upon you, to call upon every
man as he cherishes the welfare of Ire
land and the success of the cause, to do
| nothing, to agree to nothing, consistent
with honor, which would not promote a
| reconciliation and consolidation of the
| Nationalist forces. Why is there apathy
here at home? The cause Is the same
for Ireland under the conditions to which
! refer. The reason Of this apathy is
| not speaking as one man, is not acting
as one man, is not marching as one man.
came among YOU four years ago know
~ ha ~
Ireland from what read and learned. i
have watched the course of events In
parliament and outside since that time,
and l declare to you have never been
able to see any grave cause, any very
fundamental principle Of policy, why
every Irishn1an who believes in the ma
tionality of Ireland should not be able
to cooperate with every other. freshman
who SO believes. That spirit Of recol-
lection of the bitter past, the determine
ton not to bury these old subjects of
division as to whether we were right or
wrong, cannot serve the cause. It is
detrimental to keep up differences in
stead Of shaking hands over the dead
past and going together on platform
agreed upon by free deliberation by CON-
mon consent. It is this determination
that induces one, IL ever one was in
dueed, to despair. Nationalist Ireland
speaking as one man and with one voice
in the British parliament, will know
how to make herself respected, but Ire
land divided speaks with bated breath
and diminished authority. The princi
pie OF union must be- maintained IT We
are to be men. Now what is the princi-
pie of union? 1t is the principle of free
discussion within the party as to what
is heSt to ha 6Ono and nf Tho 1ovat GIL h.
mission OF the smaller number to the
greater number when their decision has
been reached. Anything short Of that
gives you no reason, for unless you are
able to concil1ate every single man you
can 90 nothing. Therefore, hold this
party, which has asserted within itself
the principle OF authority, not upon new.
lines but upon old lines, this party which
has asserted the. principle of authority
within its own limits has done ri ght,
and am glad to find your resolutions
endorse that view and that they call
upon those who no longer cooperate
within our ranks to shake hands over
the dead past and to come In on a proper
basis OF national organization. They
would De welcomed as we would expect
them to welcome us as their brothers
and estranged, but estranged no longer,
and whose opinions were to be equally
respected, while the will of the whole
majority should prevail. The right thing
had been done In calling the National
Convention, In which the Nationalist
and lrishmen all the world over shall
have an opportunity Of taking part. It
has been suggested that there was some
absurd idea to diminish or outweigh the
voice OF ireland within the four seas by
the voice OF those abroad. The language
OF the resolution as to the scheme Of the
convention will entirely dispel that ABB
surd idea. ! am sorry to have to tell you
that cannot hope, because Of the dis
serhslons at present existing, to have as
large representation as we would have,
rev years ago, but don't fear the
voice OF ireland WIFI be outwe1ghed.
DO FEAR their attendance IN too small
numbers. we want to get the benefit OF
their counsel In order that we should
learn from them to look for Held es-
tranged from our conflicts and OUR cause,
and learn from them their judgment and
their views. That Judgment would be
important. But ! hope that those who
come from among our felloWcountrymenl
IN Great Britain and from abroad will
be, In point OF numbers, 1nslgnlfcant
when compared to those who, hope.
Will throng the hall OF our National Con-
ventlOn on the frst OF September next;