The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1901-01-05

| that no body of men ever showed so
much patience-(A Voice - Criminal
patience)-''criminal patience l hear
| somebody truly say-so much criminal
patience in dealing with Il tyranny so
unreasoning and so wicked. And to
the Irish constituencies that these gen.
| tlemen complain of their ingratitude.
Why the patience of the Irish constitu-
encies with these men-their soft-heart-
edneSs towards men who never showed
their noses in their own constituencies
| from one general election to another
their patience, like the patience of the
Irish Party. if it erred ut all, erred on
the side of moral courage and back
bone, bearing with too much and bear
ing with it too long. We hear the cry
of toleration! Is there to be 10 toler-
alton for the majority? lHear. hear)-
or for the interests of the Irish cause
federation! The only liberation we ask
is to be left free to make the best fight
we can for Ireland. without being
handcuffed to an implacable enemy
(cheers). The only liberation we ask
for here to-day is this-that if you ex-
pect us to face the whole power of
England, and to make fight for Ire
land. you shall not begin by hanging
this milestone round our necks to stran-
gle us and to drag us down CHEERS,
the whole assembly standing up and
waving their hats.
A Voice-The country is at your
back Cheers.
| Mr. O'Brien-I know that the coun-
| try is at our backs renewed cheering).
| If thought otherwise, no considera-
ton under heaven would induce me to
raise one word Of protest against what
ever the decision Of the country might
be. Now venture to say, knowing
something-knowing good deal of
Mr.. Healy-I venture to tell you that
the only way of saving the party from
him, and Of saving him from himself
| laughter), is to deal firmly with him
ut last (cheers), and to remind him
that the cry of ireland over ALL
which he once raised, is capable of a
| wider application than to the man to
whom he originally applied it; and
whatever may have been the merits of
our differences in 1890. there is not Il
man in this hall that would not say
that Parnells little finger was worth
more to Ireland than Mr.. Healy's
whole body tcheers). Anybody who
knows Mr. Healy's strategy knows
very we'll that while he is probably the
last man living who would yield so
long as lie thinks that little bullying
and that threats Of further dissension
will have any effect. OH the other hand,
| that there is 10 man who is more
prompt to recognize accomplished facts
and to respect men who he knows
know their own mind (applause), and
who he knows will stand no more non
sense from him cloud cheers. In point
of fact, tell you candidly, gentlemen,
that do not despair of very consider
able reformation in Mr.. Healy's tenn
permanent if the lesson that was taught
him ut the general election is pressed
home here to-day (cheers). Now. gen.
tlemen, do not think ought to waste
your time in arguing eco on, go on')
| the question, the almost-I hope l
won't be offensive if say the ridicu-
lous argument-that this convention
has no power to exclude Mr.. Healy and
Mr.. Carew. The chairman, in his able
speech to-day has answered that argu-
ment. This-as the chairman said" to-
day-this Convention is the sovereign
and supreme power (cheers). Without
this Convention there could be no Irish
Party-without the backing of this
Convention that party could not hold
together for six months. Remember
that at the convention of last June it
was deliberately decided by the conven-
ton that they would not give the con-
troll of this movement to the former
Irish Party. That party put no pro-
granme before the country. They
could not agree to any programme.
They could not get the money to pay
their election expenses. Even as it
was. barely half that old parliamentary
party succeeded in getting elected ut
all. The old parliamentary party-I
say 1t as one who took part in some of
it's best days and some of it's worst
the old party-I regret to say it-had
hopelcssy broken down, and that
mainly owing to the very men whose
game it is now to set up that party as
sovereign authority over this Conven-
Why. every man who signed that par
ty pledge at this last general election
himself confessed in writing that Il ma
tority of his colleagues have the power
to expel him no matter what be the
rights Of his constituency. and yet we
are told that this Convention, from
whom the whole party proceeds. has
no power to prevent any one man
from wrecking the whole party and
wrecking the whole movement. The
point has been raised that we promised
to leave every constituency free tt
| chooso its own members and that WE