The Irish standard., 1898-03-05
REDMOND'S AMENDMENT.


John Redmond's patriotism we unequivo-
cially approve of his amendment to the
queens speech, asking for an
Independent Irish parliament,
free from British control.
We have become convinced that an Irish
parliament, in order to be Of any practi-
cal benefit to tho Irish people, must be
coordinate with and not subordinate to
the imperial parliament at Westminster.
At the same time, we do not believe for
Il moment that the British parliament
will ever grant a home rule bill Of that
nature to Ireland. 1t Is even doubtful If
Ireland ever secures from England any
kind OF home rule as proposed by Glad
stone and accepted by Parnell, unless the
British democracy assume an attitude of
hostility to the upper house and convince
the peers that they can no longer as
hereditary rulers stand in the way of
progress and reform and deny justice to
the sister isle
We find in the Dublin Nation, just to
hand. an editorial from the pen of r. ID.
Sullivan. in which he declares that the
worst days work for the home rule
cause since the split In the Irish party
was the amendment Of Mr.. Redmond to
the queens speech. He says it will
have the effect of driving
away the stalnchest and fore
most of the English friends of
ireland frcm home rule as the amend
mcm set forth Il new departure" In a
| lugubriOus tone Tim Hcaly's father-n-
law goes on to say that "it asked for Il
very different thing from the home rule
scheme Of Isaac Butt, from the scheme
! formulated by Mr.. Gladstone, from the
scheme gladly welcomed by Mr.. Par
nell. accepted by the Irish nation, APP
proved by every organ Of Irish opinion
all over the world. and eIoqucntly cham
| pioned by Mr.. John L. Redmond him
! self"
| What the poet-cditor OF the Nation
says is quite true. but it is also true that
the Liberal party has shown no disposi-
| ton of late to stand by its pledges to
Ireland. and experience should have
| taught him that the kind of home rule
| referred to Is more apt to be granted
| now. since IL better one has been de-
manded by Mr.. Redmond in its place.
That parliament" continues Il. d.
Sullivan, which was hailed with such
| joyous enthusiasm by practically the en-
| tire Irish race, did not contemplate the
establishment in Ireland Of a parliament
independent In any respect Of the imper-
ial parliament. On the contrary the
| theoretical and constitutional supremacy
Of the last named body was declared, i'm
piled. recognized throughout the whole
length and breadth Of tho measure And
no Irish member expressed his assent to
that condition more emphatieally than
did Mr.. John t. Redmond. lie did this
thing not merely cnce but several times
in parliament and elsewhere. The writ
er OF these lines heard him declaring
| from his place in the house of comman3
| that the Irish parliament should OF ne.
! cessity be a subordinate body, and that
itself of its own supremacy. Yet this
same gentleman, a few short days ago,
| apropos Of nothing In particular, with
out the existence OF q single circum-
stance in the condition Of England or the
empire that would tend to give force to
his demand, asks a Tory parliament,
with all immense majority at it's back, to
concede to Ireland a parliament abso-
lutcly Independent within the range Of
Irish affairs"
T. d. Sullivan and Tim Healy may
criticise John Redmond all they please,
but he has struck Il popular chord in
boldly demanding Irish parliamentary
| independence as in the days Of Grattan.
1t matters little whether 1t is futile to
ask for it or not. The fact remains that
it is what Ireland is entitled to have and
must have some day. England has
shamelessly violated the articles of the
act of union. She has been robbing Ire
land OF nearly three millions sterling
year in overtaXation, and instead of
making restitution she has gone on
brazenly in her pilferlng from people
on the verge Of starvation. A repeal of
the union is therefore what Ireland
wants and not an emasculated parlia-
ment controlled by Englishmen. 1t may
be said that England will never grant 1t.
She has been forced through intimidation
to grant other reforms to Ireland, which