The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-11-14

the only political organization that the
British government fears or notices In
Ireland at the present time. Now
what is the United Irish Lacquer Inc
United Irish League was born in Cons
naught, and II anyone should ask me-
Can anything good come from Con-
naught? l should in the first instance
feel the reverse of complimented, see
ing that | am myself Connaught man.
In the second place / should answer:
Most certainly great men, and great
movements have sprung from Con-
naught.' Mihcael Davitt came from
Connaught, and so did the glorious
revolution Of the Land League OF
which Michael Davitt was the fount
and origin.
"The United Irish League was
started at Westport, County Mayo, by
William O'Brien. 1t was started at
time when Ireland was indeed a dis
tressful country; It was started al a
time when interecine strife and dis
cord were driving many honest and de-
termined Irishmen on both sides of the
Atlantic to apathy and despair.
1T may be said to have one funda-
mental principle underlying It, and TO
have ito main objects. The funda-
mental principle underlying the United
Irish League is ths--a union OF
strength, and a brotherhood of affec-
! ton amongst all Irishmen in the fight
| against English influence in Ireland.
The two main objects of the United
Irish League are the destruction Of
| Irish landlordism and Of Dublin Cas-
tie rule. We mean to put an end, how
ever to Irish landlordism by the es-
tablishment Of universal system OF
peasant proprietary, under which every
man who tills farm in ireland will be
the owner thereof. We mean to put an
end to Dublin Castle the symbol OF
English misgovernment in Ireland, by
the establishment in Ireland Of free
national Parliament, in which the wish
es of the Irish people in regard to all
purely Irish questions shall be supreme.
According to the fundamental princi-
pie Of the United Irish League II offers
a platform to every man who Is for
Ireland and against England That
platform has no place for those who
think that the cause Of Ireland can be
better served by Irishmen fighting with
one another than by Joining in COM
mon attack on the ancient enemies OF
our race, but it has a place for every
Irish Nationalist, 10 matter what the
shade of his political opinions may be,
who is ready and willing to assist by
the best means at his disposal in put
ting an end forever to the present
Irish land system. and to the control
Of Irish affairs by an insolent foreign
faction entrenched in Dublin Castle.
That is the policy, and that is the plat
form of the United Irish League.
NOW let me say this. We as the dell
egates from the United Irish League do
not antagonize any Irish National
movement We do not come to lecture
our countrymen as to what political
opinions they should hold, or what
methods they should adopt in the fight
for Irish freedom, We come simply to
explain our own policy and our own
position. Those who approve our poli-
cy will give us their support and SYM
patty If they think it Those who can
not conscientiously offer us either sup-
port or sympathy are perfectly free, so
far as we are concerned, to refuse US
both. With Irish Nationalists engaged
in any honest effort for the Irish cause,
constitutional or revolutionary. We have
no quarrel. This is a free country, but
it is not more free than the platform
of the United Irish League. We are
not here to find fault with, to criticize.
to censure or condemn, any Irish-born
man who Is to Ireland true. II any OF
our countrymen should feel themselves
bound conscientiOusly to differ with us,
we make no complaint. Let every man
follow his own course. We do not seek
to curb or limit any Irishman's aspi-
rations. We make no claim to m0noD-
v
triotism, but we wOuid ask every friend
Of Irish freedom to recognize this fact,
that we know our own minds. and that
we have a fixed. definite and clear
cut policy. We have a definite object
before us. We have our forces mar
shalled; we have an enemy before US.
whoever Is with us. and whoever Is
against US. We mean to wage inyeter-
ate war with that enemy. till one Of
us Is beaten. We are going 10 win.
We look 10 the future with hope and
courage
There are glorious episodes in the
past history Of Ireland. Their memory
strengthens US and inspires US with
confidence.
There are also IN the past history
# our country episodes Of human trag-
sdy. These we accept and look on as
essons TO guide our footsteps in the
present, and to warn us of dangers in
he future out of the darkest gloom
hat ever overshadowed il our race has
iprung with hearts undaunted and
With hope unquenchable. The darkest
hours in our sadly sorrowful island
tory have been followed always by
ylOriOuss sunshine and renewed activ-
ty in our national life. But yesterday
we stood IN the shadow Of national
ragedy For ten weary years we
yrOped I'm the horrid darkness Of fac
ional strife Today we stand forth in
he bright clear effulgence OF hope
Inspiring unity. We have cast from US
the shackles Of discord and dissension.
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