The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-08-20
AT A GREAT MEETING IN ENGLAND
ny MIR. JOHN DILLON,
The IRISH PARLIAMENTARY LEADER.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE IRISH
PARTY IS VERY CONFIDENT.
OF AN EARLY REUNION OF IRIsnMEN.
NATIONAL FEELING IN IRELAND is
GROWING STRONGER.

Inc following address was recently do
hvered by John Dillon, the Irish par
hamentary leader, at Il banquet rendered
hlm at Birkenhead, England:
MIR. Chairman and gentlemen, l sneak
mere today as the representative OF the
Irish Party, and while, of course can
not pretend for single moment that
am satisfied with the present situation
anu condition Of that party, l say with
absolute confidence that during the last
two years there has been progressive
and very marked Improvement, not
only IN the condition OF the party, but in
tho condition OF the country behind tho
party. (Applausc) l claim that tho i'm
pfoVement In the country is due to
THE IMPROVEMENT IN THE CON-
DITlON OF THE PARTY,
IL goes without saying that at Il time
OF crisis such as that which followed
on the disruption of the party and the
loss OF a great leader there was certain
10 ensue period OF confusion ami fric-
ton which must cndangcr and weaken
any political party in tho world, and
such as | am sorry to say has hanpcncd
10 the Liberal Party. Differences of opin-
ION We're bound to appear; personal lir-
ferences were bound to show themselves
perfectly honest and good Irishmen took
dlHerent views as to the best course to-
De pursued. took very strong views ON
the situation at the timo of the Brad
lord conference, to which the proposer
oil the toast has referred. l had an on
portunlty OF ascertaining the real conti-
ton OF the country, and came to the
conclusion that there did exist. most un
fortunately, Il large body OF fighting Ma
! tlonalists IN ireland who were convinced
Parnellites. l disagreed with them. but
| lhefe they were, and those of us who
fought with them previously on manv
a hard fought field knew the stuff or
which they were made. We know that
they could not be wiped out"
as the phrase then was, and that the
attempt to wipe them out would end in
disastrous failure and serious danger to
the cause. l never altered my opinion,
Tor felt that | was right. If at the gen.
eral election of '92 an arrangement had
been como to between the Parncllites
and ourselves we should have been
spared many useless and expensive con-
tests both in that year and in the year
Us, and great deal of trouble would
have been saved. l fought the Parnell.
ties as hard as could at these two ecc-
tlons, much as regretted to have to on
pose men who fought by my side in dark
and evil days. knew the stuff they were
made of, and knew, as l said before,
that they cold not be wiped out In my
Judgment that was not the way to deal
with them.
THE BEST WAY
was to try and smooth away the friction
and TO try and get both sides to bury
the past and to work together again.
| (Applause.) most carefully avoided on
the present occasion, as have ever been
careful to avoid, making any attack up-
on individuals or dropping any observa-
tions of q character calculated to keep
up disunion in the Irish party (hcar.
| hear). should like to call your atten-
ton to this fact. When l advocated not
the giving of fifteen seats to the Par
nellites at the election of '92 but n
compromise based upon giving them a
fair share of the representation SO as to
avoid plunging the country into the hor-
ror of an internecine struggle which has
continued, more or less, ever since---I
think even now that that would have
been the better course to have adopted
when my advice was rejected, as | think
most unfortunately rejected, | thought
it my duty to act upon the decision that
had been arrived at. fought the Par
nellites, and those who were loudcst in
their dcnunciations of that proposed
compromise were furthcst from the
fights in the hottest part of ireland when
the fight came on (hear, hcar), | have
been in South Roscommon, in Waterford
and in Cork. We defeated Mr. John
Redmond, but the fight was so hot that
every day numbers OF persons had their
wounds dressed at the hospitals in con-
sequence of the conflicts in the streets.
] was throughout these bitter conflicts,
the sights and scenes in which must
have been sckening to any Irishman
i WAS IN THE THICK OF THE PO-
| LICE CHARGES.
when, in the old days, the Nationalists
fought side by side against the govern
ment and felt cheerful under these cir
cumstances, but when in the streets OF
Cork l saw Nationalists strike down Ma
tionalists, and when on the bridge of
Waterford saw the blood of Irishmen
flowing aud Irish Nationalists arrayed
against each other, the best blood of Ire
land fighting for no worthy object, my
heart sank within me, because / felt