The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1900-07-14

uSplolSu, diiu IiSitly uSplOISu, tlIC Nl-
visions OF the past ten years. Those di-
visions may, hope, be regarded by all
as sad and disastrous chapter of Irish
history that is forever closed, and no
man can open it again. We have all
felt ashamed. We who live away from
Ireland all know how often we blushed
and hung our heads with shame at some
| new outbursts OF discord and malice
amongst the Irish people. But those
are not its greatest injuries. Arc you
acquainted with the fact that during this
ten years struggle we lost 100000 Of
our peoplc-nearly half million-and
do you realize the fact that half mil
lion is one-nintll of the population Of
ireland, and those ten years of disrup-
ton and discord have cost Ireland one
man or woman out Of every nine in the
land? And tell you it is my solemn
conviction that with ten years more OF
dissension you would have another half
million or million out OF the coun-
try. 1t is not true that our cause will
die, but it is not true to say that our
forces arc not being seriously dinlin-
ished year by year, and decade by de-
cade, and as the past ten years division
has cost us half million already, ten
years more would, have no doubt,
probably cost us another great proper
ton OF our population. mourn for
ireland, and Irishmcn leaving ireland,
and | mo,en it more for the fact that
they have to do the worst labor. When
passed by Newcastle some years ago
was almost stupcfcd from the smell
! from some chemical works, and found
that in these works all the men en-
ployed were Irisllmcn, for they could
not get others to do the work The
| question Of emigration was one Of Il
material loss to the country. l take
another side. am glad my friend
Father Clancy referred to this. I be-
lievc the people Of this country i'll a for
cign land possessed some of the great
virtues which have possessed and MAIN
! tanned the race before | believe any
race subjected to the same temptations
would yield a far larger number OF VIC
tins and outcasts. But there are in Ire
| land influences from which it is very
dangerous to remove the Irish race.
the influence of kindly ncigl,bors, the
atmosphere of spirituality and Of virtue
witt, which they arc surrounded. But
am filled with sorrow and almost dc
spair when | think Of our people in
other lands, brought up in innocence
with kindly ncighbors at their side, and
with spiritual and virtuous atmosphere
round tllcm-bcsct with temptations and
with almost every other mans hand
against them. When think OF this
agree with Father Clancy in what he
said regarding emigration; and il there
is anybody in this land who can render
the greatest assistance in this matter
who will consider it Il most sacred and
solemn and high trust to help the people
at homc--it is the Irish priesthood
(chccrs), The priesthood have been
given by centuries of communion with
struggling and suffering pcople-thcy
have been given a place in the conf
dcncc and affections and influence upon
the hearts and the souls and bodies OF
the people such as no other priesthood
in the world occupied (cllccrs). Would
not the priests OF France and Italy be
glad to exchange their position for the
place i'll the confidence and affections of
the people which the Irish priesthood
enjoyed? | believe that this convention
will rightly make an appeal TO the Irish
pricsthood-a solemn appcal-to orga-
nizc and unite the country again
| (chccrs). ! speak in the middle OF a
country tl1at is pcrishing before our
eyes. So much SO that / am afraid 10
go back to the streets OF the town
where | spent my boyhood, where l sec
nothing but ruin and decay, the people
gone, and only skeletons of the houses
they had left behind them A man must
have heart OF iron and look on this
unmovcd We must once more make a
united effort to organize the people, and
in that way VIC can aid in putting a stop
to the drain OF emigration from the
shores Of Ireland, and, as in the old
days OF Parncll, we may once more be
able to assert the might and power OF
ireland. We cannot produce another
Parncll in our time, but what we can
and will do is to give to the leader Of
the Irish party in parliament tho same
united people (chccrs). What we can
do and will do is to give to Mr.. Red
mond, as leader OF the Irish party in
parliament, the same united people, the
same powerful organization, the same
loyal and disciplined party, and I pro-
misc you that although we have no Par
nell at our head, now that we have once
more a united party backed by united
people once more in the lobbics OF the
house Of commons, the voice OF poor
Ireland will decide the dcstinics OF big
England (applausc), and the voice Of
Ireland cast for the interests OF Ireland
on this English side, or on that Eng
lish side, will through, English ncccssi-
ties gain the conquest OF Irish liberties
cloud and prolonged applausc).