The Irish standard., 1898-11-19
course of a powerful speech: Reverend

COuISc VI d powerful speech. teVeTeuu
Chairman, Fellow Countrymen: I
thank you from the bottom of my heart
for extending to me here today such
warm cead mile failte to this historic
town of Irishtown. (Cheers.) l would
indeed be dead to all the best and gen.
erous instincts of the Celtic race if
did not feel honored at tliis generous
greeting at the hands of this vast con-
rounding districts In many respects
this is a most remarkable meeting. 1t
has been called without the assistance
of placard or public announcement.
A Voice-All the better.
Mr.. Davitt-Because we were resolved
to show the English rulers of ireland
that when they try to repress the liber-
ties of Connaughtmen and Mayomen
they are undertaking task which they
are incapable of performing (Cheers)
We have here today a contingent from
gallant Roscommon under my patriotic
friend and comrade, Father O'Connor.
(Cheers.) We have the brave Nation
alists of Knock (checrs) under their
sturdy parish priest Qoud cheers), and
we have from Ballinrobe a few men.
sterling and true in their devotion 60
Ireland. (Checrs.) We have them here,
Parnelltes by the score. but having no
differences with us today tchecrs) be-
cause
"The friends we've tried
I Are by our side. HW
And the foes we hate before us"
Well, ! miss with some surprise. not
unmixcd with Il little regret, the pres
ence of our good friends, Mr.. Starkie
f, Qaughtcr), and his merry Sunday high
of course fruitlessly-to suppress Will
| liam O'Brien. Cries of "chcers for Will
liam O'Brien." (Chcers)
| MIR. Davitt-Well, the absence Of the
vcnicnce Of discussion. but think were
he and they here today and did they
| repeat the blundcrs of last Sunday IT
| would be far much more to the advan
tagc of the United Irish League.
| (Checrs and laughtcr.) Our friends,
however, arc not idle elsewhere. No;
they arc masscd in solid phalanX with
divisional magistrates, resident magis-
tratcs and commissioners. and all the
rest, watching a spot near Castle
bar where neither nor William O'Brien
intended to set n foot. daughter and
cheerS.) Therefore we must extend a
generous allowance TO MI. StarKle llhugn-
teri Knowing as we do that if lie cannot
help the good cause by being here he Is
doing his best to push 1t along in the
neighborhood of Balcaria tCheers.)
Now, fellow countrymcn, | cannot for
the life of me understand how IL man of
Mr.. Gerald Balfours undoubted ability
because he is an able man-how he sane
tions this laundering stupid policy forced
upon him, | bicvce, by the landlords
and some grazicrs and all the grabbers
of Mayo. (Groans for the grabbers.)
For an Englishman Mr. l,alfour is not
very stupid in his efforts to understand uB
Irish people and our movement. | be-
lieve he is doing his best under great dilh-
Castle to comprehend what it Is we are
striving for in this movement.
l say here to-day he has no earthly justi
fcation for giving his approval to this
nf int M mo wifi hn ri Of
public meeting and free speech inside
this constituency of South Mayo or else
where prolonged cheers) He has
not the excuse, and | hope he never
will have (hear hear) that would be
given to him by disturbed county
or the prevalence of outrages. Hear,
hear) There is no crime that | am
aware of at the present time in this
great county OF ours, and ! sincerely
hope and trust that that record
will continue until this movement Of
ours. as Father McGirr put It, succeeds
| in influencing the government to carry
out a reform which is advocated alike by
William O'I'ricn and by Gerald I3aIfour,
| DIOLHCl Ol AilnNI l1iuOuI, lllc lcducF VI
the house Of service of Dublin castle.
| (Checrs.) Well, the task of supprcssing
Mayo will he Il pretty tough job.
| (Cheers.)
| In fact, | must say that the only men In
this country today who have tried their
/ hand and failed at organizing outrage
are not inside the ranks of the United
Irish league, but they are in the service
of Dublin castle. (Chccrs.)
l tell them again from this platform,
| as ! did at Bulinrobc the other night,
at Il meeting they had not the courage to
suppress, that the policy OF mcasurclcss
stupidity cannot possibly succeed.
| (Cheers.)
| AS | said then, why, even if they muz-
zle Mayo, they cannot silence Ireland.
| (Chcers.) Well, now, 80 much for our
enemies. This movement has also a
very hopeful aspect and gives Il hopeful
promise for the future. (Chcers.) In
side this agitation we arc resolved to
know no differences as to splits or dis
sension. (Checrs.) We will put all
these little issues one side. ca voice
THAT Is right.D We will try and find
nOiute G and urinciu1oc unOn which wn f.on