The Irish standard., 1900-02-03

THE IRISH STA
them and the Chamberlain govern
ment Ii the destruction of Great Brit
ain were sought l would be just as ear
nest in my endeavors to create SYM
patl1y, and thereby assistance, for that
nation as am now in my efforts in
behalf OF the Transvaal republic"
Speaking OF the charge that the
Beers are bigots, Governor Lind point
ed out that DR.. Leyds, the representa-
tive of the Beers in France, Germany
and Russia, is Roman Catholic, and
that many other men high in the coun-
ellis OF the Transvaal republic are OF the
same religion. He closed with this ad-
monition to the audience: Follow
your impulses; when you do that you
perform your best duty as American
citizens"
The introduction of Father Cleary
was the signal for an outburst OF ap-
plause which equaled in enthusiasm the
reception to Governor Lind.
FATHER CLEARY'S ADDRESS.
you are here" said he, mot because
you need argument to convince you
that the Beers are in the right. but that
you may express your sympathy for
them and their cause. My own SYM
pathy is with the struggling burghers
first, because am native born Amer
lean citizen, and as such in favor OF
justice and liberty for all; second, be-
cause OF the strong and heroic fight be-
ing made by the Beers against great
odds; and, third, because they are
fighting the great hypocrite, liar and
bully OF the ages; nation always ready
to rob and despoil weaker one; a ma
ton which has always been the enemy
OF the American people and American
institutions. 1t seems to me that the
sympathy OF every right-minded man
must be with the Beers. They are con-
tending for exactly the same rights for
which our forefathers fought at Bunker
Hill, Lexington and Concord. Within
the memory OF living men England has
been the greatest prosecutor of inno-
cent people simply because Of their re-
ligious beliefs that ever existed. 1t was
rot so long ago that Daniel O'Connell
stood up before the English people and
demanded justice for S,oooo 900 OF his
countrynlcn, who were enslaved simply
because they were not OF the church
recognized by monster king. In no
country OF earth has the Catholic
church endured so many prosecutions
as in those OF the English empire, and
i'll none has it been more literally
treated than in the Boer republic.
That country is now engaged in (;
war against people who are contend
ing for the same principles that the
founders OF this republic contendcd Tor
the right to govern themselves, to
make their own laws, to regulate theil
own internal affairs and to fix the rates
, OF taxation as they see fit"
In conclusion Father Cleary said il
deep sorrow: "It would be scarcely
. consistent for us to denounce the inva
5 sion OF Africa and support the invasio,
e OF the Philippine islands,
The last speaker was Judge William
c Prentiss, of Chicago, who said in part
: The Beers might be justly tcrme'
t fanatics. What OF that? Were not tn
Pilgrim Fathers fanatics, and religion
4 fanatics at that? Afterward their dc
$ scendants developed into the creates
). cvangcls OF liberty and equal rights til
II world had ever known. So lit might b
Il in South Africa. While we had game
our freedom from England in battle
the fact remained that neither tn
Il Orange Free State, nor the Transvaa
6 had ever been subject to or colony {
r England. Our duty WIS not to cover
Il other people, but rather to help otlle
people govern themselves. We shout
y say to England that our sympathie
Il are will, the Beers, and it nattercd nc
: what arrangements may have bee
q made between Little John Hay an
J. Joe Chamberlain" Ii the people a:
= serted themselves the administrator,
II with its ear to the ground, would lea
# their voice and all would be we'll.
C THE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED
l. The following resolutions wei
/ adopted:
q Whereas, The Beers OF South A
s. RIGA, having made lhomes for then
II selves in Cape Colony and Natal, wei
J. driven thereirom by British aggressio
l. into the wilderness where, amidst il
l. Vulnerable llardships, surrounded by
II savage people in a savage land, they G.
y. tablishcd for themselves free and ind,
: pendent republics in large degree tt
II same as our own; and
Whereas. Although the lives an
5 property oil the subjects OF Great Bri
J. ain, and OF other aliens residing
I" those republics, have at all times bee
: as secure as in any other civilized cou1
J. try in the world, Great Britain ha
nevertheless. without any justfcatio
! or excuse, inauguratcd war in wfic