The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-01-16
He Tells the People Some Plain
Truths They Should
Remember.
rlembers Should Stick to their
Pledges and Sit and Act
and Vote.
If They Cannot do that Ihey
Should 20 and Flock by
Themselves.

MIR. John Dillon, M. P, chairman OF
the Irish Parliamentary Party, addressed
great meeting in the Free Trade Hall,
Manchester, England, on the evening OF
December IS. The Catholic clergy were
we'll represented in the audience. Cour-
cillor D. McCabe, J. P, presided, and an
address to Mr.. Dillon from the Irish Ma
tionalists of Manchester, was read by
Councillor Boyle.
Mr.. T. P. O'Connor, NJ. P, also made
all address,
We give some excerpts from the adj
dress Of the Irish leader:
The real issue in Ireland is, said Mr..
Dillon, whether there shall continue to
be in Ireland pledge-bound party or
not, and it is for that that the struggle IS
going on at present in Ireland. l repre-
sent on this platform the only party, and
7 am entitled to speak for 1.-THE only
party which is struggling Tor the loyal
maintenance of the pledge. No other
party in Ireland today is endeavor'ng to
maintain the pledge Therefore ! say
represent the only party which is fight
ing battle today in Ireland for the uni
ty OF the National Party, and it is on that
ground, and on that ground only, that 1
appeal for your support. You Will near
a great deal of talk, great deal OF critl-
cis,n. Men say that there is tyranny in
the Irish party and-the word has been
introduced from America--we have been
accused of "bossing" the Irish party
Well, there are some people i'll the world
whom it is very hard to boss. | make no
complaint of criticism, and lam certainly
too old politician to be affected by
abuse. I do observe this. that there never
was any man in the world who ever did
anv good at all for God or man who was
not made the mark for TRADES OF abuse
Really ii somebody was not abusing you
YOU might fairly begin to examine your
conscience to know if you were doing
any good at all. -.
1t has been urged by some people that
the pledge has only reference to the &C
ton OF the party in Parliament. But
that is not the case. The pledge OF the
Irish party is as follows: Il will sit, act
and vote with the party and If called on
by majority to resign my seat in con-
sequence of my breach of that engage
me1,t shall resign my seat at the call OF
the party" The pledge does not bind a
man only to sit and vote with his party.
He NAV sit and vote with his party and
may break the pledge every day OF the
week He is to act with his party, and
I say that that pledge binds him to act
with his party not only in the House OF
Commons but outside the House Of
Commons, honestly and sincerely. He
should support the party inside and out
side the House of Commons; but it may
be said, Are we to support the party in
party which we condemn and which we
think Immoral and unjust?' There is an
alternative, and only one alternative to
the binding effect OF the pledge. If he
thinks the policy of the party wrong,
radically wrong, he can resign his seat
like an honorable man and leave the
party.
Nationalists of Manchester. these in
my Judgment are the only principles on
which the Irish party can be maintained
with any good effect or promise OF serv-
ice to the people of Ireland. have
{ made no concealment of my principles
A ! have not sought election as chairman of
D the party The party meets next Janu-
ary. The party can do as it likes, only
1 il it elects me they know the policy
which shall pursue. And one thing I
promise you is tlis-that SO long as I am
trusted by the party and SO long as the
i policy which I believe in has the ap-
/ .proval. as believe it now has, of the
overwhelming majority Of the National
# lists of Ireland and of Great Britain,
3 will put that issue before the people OF
these countries, and will appeal to them
q whether they mean to- have the pledge
Il bound Irish party Or whether they mean
TO allow it to be destroyed
"A campaign has been going on for
Y years against the existence of that party,
campaign of disruption from within the
ranks which has covered our people in
! this country with confusion and with
shame, which has weakened our army in
h the very thick Of the battle. which has
\ stabbed lis in the back and handed us
s over weak and defenceless into the hands
y Sfof our enemies. The time has come now
swIler, we are face to face with powerful
t1iovernnent, with a majority Of $50
pledged against Homo Rule-but do
not think that that government will have
h p quiet time with the Irish question but
have now a period Of three OF four,
III ars IL Ireland during which We cannot
n press @@H Hornc Rule. NC de-