The Irish standard., 1902-08-23
JOHN RRDnoND SPEAKS.
Defines Ireland's Position Towards
81 the ENGLISH kinu,

minister Abbey, a special meeting of
members of the Irish Parliamentary
Party, with John Z. Redmond as
chairman, was held in Dublin
Speeches We're made by Lord Mayor
Harrington, John Dillon, William
O'Brien, William Redmond and j.
Devlin. The chairman, who Oh rising
was received with loud applause, said
in part:
This meeting Of the Nationalist rep
resentatives of Ireland in the capital
of our country on the day when the
King of England is being crowned in
London is an event of national and
historical Importance (hear. hearD This
party as body has formally with
drawn from all participation in the
sembled here today to place once more
upon record the protest of our people
against the usurpatiCn of the govern
ment of Ireland by the English parlia-
ment (hear, hear) Gentlemen, the
event which is being celebrated today
in London is one OF great historic sig
nificance and Importance (hear, hear.)
The monarch of this mighty empire
is being crowned, and there are assem-
bled in London representatives from
al parts of the empire to acclaim Ed
ward VII. as the constitutional mon
one absentee-Ireland (applause.l
Gentlemen, in Ireland Edward VII. is
not constitutional monarch zap
plause.) No English sovereign has
been constitutional monarch of Ire
land since the Union, aud today the
Nationalist representatives of Ireland
renew the protest-which has never
been allowed to die for one hundred
years-against the destruction of our
constitution and the usurpation of the
government of our country by Eng
land (applause.) One of the unfortun-
ate facts of the political situation of
the day is that, notwithstanding the
discussions on this Irish question
which have been going on continually
going on for the last twenty years
at any rate in England-the bulk of
the English people, and very many of
the most powerful of England's states
men do not vet understand the true
nature of the Irish demand or the
grounds upon which it rests (applause)
And l trust, gentlemen. that I may be
forgiven it on an occasion of the pc
culiar character and extraordinary i'm
portance of the present occasion, ]
briefly recapitulatc the main historical
and constitutional grounds on which
Ireland's case rests, even though to all
of us assembled here in this room
these points are only too painful and
familiar (applausa.) Now. we claim
that Ireland is not bound. morally or
legally. by any laws which are not
made by the sovereign lords and COM
mons of Ireland (applause.) We spe-
cially deny the moral ca legal and con-
stitutiOnal right of the English larlia-
plause.l Upon what does this claim
rest? The Irish parliament-peOple
certainly in England seem quite OBJ
livious of the fact-the Irish parlia-
ment was almost coeval and abso-
lutely coordinate With the parliament
of England, and the first Irish parliA-
ment of which we have any authentic
records sat in 1895. and from 1905
until 1896 that parliament was abso
pent. and no law made in England
was binding in Ireland. ard although
7 i'll 1895 what was known as POyning' s
Law was passed, which provided that
all bills to be introduced into the Irish
parlia nrant We're first to be approved
by the king and priyy council of Eng
land. still that law was an Irish law
(hear hear.) passed by in Irish parla-
ment. and did not sacrifice the indie
pendence Of the Irish parliament or
recognize Ingland's right to make
laws for Ireland (applausrl 1t re-
ceived Il co-urdnate authority with the
English parliament. and this condition
remained unbrokcn-;lye. remained I'M
questioned until the reign of Georga
L.. and then. in 1I19. an English Act
was passed which enacted that the
English parliament hal power Of max
ing laws for Ireland. Now, that
clause was always resisted by this
country Glpplause.) Ireland never fir
one hour. ceased to protest against IT,
and at last, as you know. in 1882. the
freedom of the Irish parliament was
acclaimed by tie great measure which
Grattan, backed by the Irish Nolun-
teers, passed into law (applause.l The
Act Of George L. was repealed, and
the English Act of the 23rd of George
Ill, chapter 80, solemnly declared as
follows: 'Be it enacted that the right
claimed by the people of Ireland to
be bound only by laws enacted by his
Majesty and the parliament of that
kingdom in all cases whatsoever, shall
be, and is hereby declared and ascer
tanned for ever, and shall at no time
hereafter be questioned or questiona
BILE" (applause) Well, we know that
eighteen years after that solemn dee