The Irish standard., 1898-09-24
BLAKE's ELOQUENT SPEECH
THE GREAT CANADIAN SPEAKS TO
HIS CONSTITUENTS.
RAP1uRoUsLy APPLAUD HIS GRAFTON
HE DENIES HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH
BRAVE GEN. BLAKE.

The anniversary of the battle of Bal
linamuck was recently celebrated by the
people of Longford. The place chosen
for the meeting was within the theater
OF the desperate encounter Of a hundred
years ago, when the gallant Humbert,
with his small band of French soldiers
and their Irish peasant allies, after
marching from Castlebar through VIC
tory after victory, found themselves
hemmed in on all sides by overwhelming
forces of the English, to whom the
brave Frenchmen, however, unhesitat-
ingly gave battle. Nationalists of diff
ferent sections from the counties of
Cavan, Longford and Leitrim united in
making the demonstration worthy of
the heroes who suffered not inglorious
defeat on the memorable battlefield. The
Hon. q. Blake, M. p, who Travelled with
the Longford contingent, was the orator
of the day, and received a most enthu-
siastic ovation. He was introduced by
Rev. Thomas Confrey, P P, Drumlish,
who said that Capt. feeling and Gen.
Blake dashed again and again at the
English ranks at the head of their pike
men, and that the brave gunner, M'Ghee,
ceased firing only when his ammunition
had failed. He intimated that Mr.. Blake
was descendant of the '98 hero.
The Hon. p. Blake, Mp, who was re-
ceived with prolonged and enthusiastic
cheering, then addressed the meeting.
He said: I thank Father Confrey for
his kind introduction, though I must
take exception to two things which he
said. He said l was descendant of the
man who led the pikemen. I am not.
He called me also another Gen. Blake,
The Irish political army suffers from too
many generals, and l wish only to be
known as Private Blake in that army.
Iaughter.) am very glad to meet the
people of Longford, one of the divisions
of which l have, very earnestly, at any
rate, however unworthily, always endea-
vored to serve for six years in parlia-
ment. (Cheers) Last year there was a
great celebration through most of
the United Kingdom. 1t was jubilee
year with them. They celebrated, and
from their point of view they were quite
right in celebrating, the Goth anniyer-
sary of the queens reign. Our COM
memoration comes this year, and It is q
commemoration, it is true, tragic and
sad in many respects, but one to which
hishmen can recur with feelings of Joy
and triumph that there were found so
many hearts among the masses of the
land prepared to suffer and to die for
their country. loud cheers.) 1t is
true, as Father Confrey has said, that
we are fighting now with different weap-
ons, and it is we'll for us that it should
be so, for we cannot conceal from our
selves that while we were one-half the
population that England boasted a hun
dred years ago, we are now only one
eighth of that population; that whether
we have grown absolutely in wealth or
not, there is no doubt that we are rela-
lively very much poorer and weaker in
this worlds wealth now than We were
then. There is no doubt that machine
guns and rifled cannon have made a.
physical force struggle infinitely more
desperate than it was in days when, on
many a well fought field, the pike was
found more than match for Brown
Bess." But on the other hand, we have
other weapons which are more powerful
still. We have Irishmen everywhere
throughout the world true to the tradi-
tions of love for the land from which
they sprung, and exercising in the coun-
ellis of the free colonies Of England, in
the councils of the great republic across
the Atlantic, and everywhere they are
an influence in favor of Irish freedom.
cloud cheers) We have newspapers,
we have the cable, we have the greater
growth of liberty all round, making our
condition more obviously wrong and de-
grading. We have the conscience of the
British people and the voice of the CIV
ilized world to sustain us in the struggle
lot liberty. (Cheers.) For my part,
came amongst you to help in the consti-
tutiOnal movement to which Father Con-
frey has alluded. (Cheers.) 1 believe
that the success and triumph of the
movement depend mainly-almost ex-
clusively-upon the Irish people them
selves, and it is in that belief that re-
main to struggle with you. fCheers)
hope that that movement may culmi-
nate in the completion of cur reconcilia-
tion, of which the first germs were sown
when the home rule bill was brought
forward. l believe the people Of Ire
land, more than any other people, when
they obtain their reasonable rights, ant
are entrusted with reasonable powers,
will become satisfied with their condi-
ton, and tina. the causes of discomfort
and grievance and disturbance being