The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-02-06

street, and afterwards at 81 Mill street,
] and it had for its president a man who
was the personit1cation af popular or
ganizer, Father Convery, who shrank
4 from sacrifice, and spared neither,
himself nor his resolve to carry the po-
pular cause to victory. No change OF
time or circumstance can take from
Father Convery the credit to which he
is entitled for the triumphant return of
Mr.. Sexton as member for West Belfast
: In 1886; but he round him band Of wor-
kers who had required no stimulus in the
fight.
Among the Nationalist there was
then, as indeed there has been since, the
most perfect union and harmony, no fac
ton and no backsliding; the organiza-
ton was too powerful for these, and
knew only as Nationalist those within
Its ranks, and as enemies to. the cause
those without them. On the dissolution
of Parliament, in 1885, there were anxi-
ETY. and speculation as to whom Mr.. Par
nell would send to fight the battle of Ma
,tionalism in the heart of Orange Ulster
"None but one Of his chief lieutsnants
can lead us to victory" was the convic-
ton of the local leaders, and this was
realized the Importance Of the local con-
test, he respected the opinions of the To-
cal leaders, and he not only sent them
zone of his first, but the first Of all
his "lieutenants" and that was MIR, Sex
tom. I shall never forget Mr.. Sections
first speech in St. Mary's Hall. He was
then very handsome man, apparently
In the prime OF intellectual and physical
vigor. When last l saw him the effects
of ten years of mental and bodily !sacri-
fee, amounting almost to martyrdom, IN
the cause Of ireland, were too plainly vi
sible. He had not been five minutes on
his feet before he had won the hearts Of
all present. His peroration was poem
in itself That night he became the
leader and the champion Of the National
lists of Belfast, and their leader and
champion he has remained. and will
continue to remain until death separates
him and them. That night, too, the Ma
tlonal cause in Belfast entered on new
phase of its existence. The election or
1885 was fought and l0st-lost by a very
narrow majority. 1T was not victory,
but it was the herald and pledge Of vic
tory as MI, Cower said Of the division
on the home rule bill in 1896. The Or
.ganization was continued with greater
energy than before, and when the next
opportunity was afforded in 1886, Mr..
Sexton was returned as a member for
West Belfast by the splendid majority
OF 1903 The effect was immense. The
jubilation Of the people was greater, if
possible, in Dublin and in Cork than in
West Belfast. That victory and the vic
tory Of MI. Justin MCCARTHY in Derry
cl.y gave the Irish party decided ma
jority of the Ulster representation, a fact
OF great significance aud influence at the
time
AS has been stated, with the return of
Mr.. Sexton as member for West Belfast,
the Nationalists of the city entered upon
new phase OF their existence. They had
now status which they never before en-
joyed; and the CONSCIOUSNESS that in
MIR. Sexton they had a representative
who, through the agency of the House of
Commons, could direct the public opin-
- +l,> ...
and privations to which they were sub
jected gave confidence and an assurance
which contributed powerfully, to their
social and Political advancement But
Mr.. Sexton was not only the member for
Nationalist Belfast, he was the Jealous
guardian of the interests OF all creeds
and classes; and the most rabid orange
man who had grievance to ventilate in
Parliament was as sure of Mr.. Sexton s
assistance, SO long as it was respectfully
requested as the most advanced Nation
alist. The Unionists made no conceal
ment of Mr.. Sections ability and impair
TALLY, and even the water commission
ers felt compelled to publicly record
their thanks to him for his assistance to
them in connection with bill they pro-
NOTED. Among the many services rem
dered to the city as whole two will
leave a permanent record Of hirn-the
one, the obtaining OF the city charter,
the other the assimilation of the parlia-
mentary and unicipal franchises But
though the Unionists profted by his SER
vices as a Nationalist. they could not to-
lerate him as their member for the West
division, and from the day of his return
the whole strength OF their organization
in Belfast was brought to bear in wrest-
ing the seat from him. The fight in
the revision courts, year by year, until
the election Of so was one Of the closest
ever Waged over a seat in Parliament,
The Nationalist fought it inch by inch.
and with a resolution which was adj
mirable; but they could net do an i'm
possibility, and it was impossible in the
face OF the tactics resorted to by the
unionists, to retain the seat The split
in,