Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1899-02-18
Great Enthusiasm Prevailed
and the Unity Movement
Heartily Endorsed.
William O'Brien's Sentiments
on the Question of Anglo
American Alliance.
ADDRESSED BY MANY PROMINENT MEN

formed under the most favorable circum-
stances. Addresses were made by mem
bers of Parliament and prominent clergy
men and inspiring letters read from John
Dillon, Timothy Harrington and William
Redmond.
Great enthusiasm prevailed, and a
warm welcome was rendered Michael
Davitt, who made stirring appeal for
united action. The following was his
exhortation to unity and his sentiments
on the question of an Anglo-American
alliance:
A United Nationalist Ireland means
the wheeling into line again in the con-
test for home rule and land reform of the
whole Irish race, as in the eighties, be-
fore dissension split the ranks and dis
banded the mighty force which fought
for Ireland. Without the union at home
which will enlist this cooperation from
among our race abroad we will struggle
in vain against united foes. But with
our people once again in organized pha-
lanx, guided by reconciled leaders and
inspired by the consciousness of undi-
vided national strength, no obstacle that
is likely to cross the path of a movement
so directed and sustained can stand for
long between Ireland and National Leg
islature and National Government in
Dublin.
Who are they who stand in the way of
this reunion? l don't care to name
names, but will say that whoever are, if
they do not stand out of the way, it is the
duty of the country to make them do so.
There is no longer anything to quarrel
about among earnest Nationalist. We
are all for the widest possible measure of
-National- self-goyernment that can be
obtained; we are all for complete indie
pendence for all English political parties;
we are all for these principles and for
what they mean, and not for the claims
of one set of leaders OF the humiliation of
others. We are for the protection anG
interests of Irelands rights, and not for
any cites" or individuals, and, therefore,
in the name of Ireland and common sense
what is there that should keep asunder
men who yearn, and work and strive for
such a cause so universally believed in
and upheld
The defeats of 1889 and 1895 might yet
come to be looked back upon by an Irish
nation as blessings in disguise. England
made the bargain of an usurer with Ire
land in both these measures. Liberty
10, 10, ,.fa ii
jealous hand. The spirit of commercial
greed, rather than that of justice and res
titution, can be traced in the restrictions
and limitations which marked even the
bill of 1895. But these measures served
the useful purpose of propaganda with
the slow-thinking Anglo-Saxon. The
English have undergone a useful process
of instruction, and they may soon come
to see much more of an imperial danger
in withholding just and generous meas
IRE of Home Rule from Ireland than they
pretended they saw in 1895 in the pro-
posed concession of Mr.. Gladstone s
scheme to our people.
Fellow-countrymen, our cause has not
receded, except in so far as we ourselves
are to blame for what has happened. 1t
is only hating on the way to victory, and
its progress along the way to success only
awaits the reunion of our people in the
service of that progression. We have
great potential forces and opportunities
on our side whenever we make up our
mind to fight again for principles and
not for factions. 1t is not question
between four millions of people in Ire
land and the population of England.
There are, at least twenty millions of the
Irish race outside the shores of Ireland
who will be ready TO stand by us when
ever they find us giving more time and
attention to Ireland's cause than to
wrangling over dead issues. This great
force has to be counted by the enemies
of Home Rule, and the greater portion of
it is found just in the country with which
England is more anxious for an alliance
than with any other nation in the world.
Here, then, we have, assert, the poten-
tial factors of success. America has done
much for our people. admit. But it can
he said with greater confidence that the
hardy, militant race which has been bred
under oppression and alien rule in Ire
land has done more for the United States
than any other European people who
ever crossed the Atlantic. The Irish
have fought for America from Lexington
to Santiago; fought for her on land and
sea against England's forces, and to up
hold a united republic which England
hoped to disrupt and destroy they have
labored, too. in all the fields of enter.
prise and industry to make America what
she has now become, the foremost and
most wealthy of the worlds great ma
tons. All this service gives our race 9
greater claim upon American gratitude
than twenty liberated cubas or hun