The Irish standard., 1902-07-12


delivered by Mr.. Joseph Drvlin, the
youngest member of the Irish parlia-
mentary party, at Il banquet rendered
to him by the eXpatriatcd SONS of Bel
fast in New York, on the eve of his
departure for Ireland, after a success
full mission in this country in behalf of
the United irish League:
MIR. Chairman and Gcntlcmcn-It
would be impossible for me to find
words to express the gratitude feel
to those who tonight have assembled
around this festive board to pay me Il
tribute which | feel is altogether un-
deserved (crics of "Not at all'); but |
value this testimony of your apprecin-
tion not only :lS a graceful act of kind
ness on your part, but as political i'll
cdcnt of no mean Significance, because
think it will count for something in
this great fight i'm which we are ell
gagged. When last l was among Bel.
fast men it was when two thousand of
my fellow citizens, with an enthusiasm
seldom surpassed in Belfast bnde me
Godspccd OH the mission in which l
am now engaged. nt the harbor in Bel
fast Lough. Tonight, when my mission
has been practically completed, go
back to my native city and your native
city with the cordial good wishes and
kindly regards Of those representatives
of our city here in this great commu-
nifty i'm New York (chccrs) l think
that in this assembly and in the great
gathering which I witnessed when I
was leaving the northern capital, we
have Il representation in the highest
degree of Glands Across the Sea"
Noud applause. 1t is, l believe, mat
ter so important that do not think I
can find words to exaggcrate it; that
not only in the very center and heart
of the asccndnncy city of Belfast are
there to be found thousands of carncst
and patriotic men helping to build up
the fortunes of a free Ireland; but we
have citizens of Belfast 5000 miles
away from that city assembled here
tonight as loyal and as faithful as
those who stand under the banner of
the United Irish League (clccrs). 1t
may be some source of pride and con-
ISOLATION to you to know that, although
Belfast is regarded in many parts Of
the world as the one resting place for
the foreign garrison established in Ire
land, yet Belfast must be given the
credit Of having been in the past ten
years the largest subscribing center in
ireland to the cXclequcr Of those
charged with the custody of the public
movement for Irclnnd's freedom
(chocrs). And today not only are there
seven or eight living. active ANA vlrile
branches of the United Irish League
the political organization of the coun-
try, doing splendid work in unifying
ital-but we have in addition more
than twice that number Of branches Of
the Gaelic League doing as good work
as the political organization by helping
in that national renaissance which is
bringing new soul back again to Ire
land. (Chccrs)
Now, I should certainly have not ac-
ccptcd the invitation Of your committee
when it was accorded me if had
thought that this gathering tonight
was to ln one SO insular and provincial
as to regard Belfast men as separate
from any Of our cOuntrymen in any
county in Ireland. / have been one
of those fn Belfast who have fought
most bitterly against attempts that
have been made from time to time to
set the interests Of the Catholics OK
Belfast as a separate and distinct ell
tity against the interests Of the Catho-
lies of the other parts of Ireland Zap
Dlause). ! have come to the conclu-
sion that the one safety for our people
there is to join with their countrymen
in other parts of Ireland and to regard
themselves Belfast men, If you will,
proud of the greatness and prosperity
Of their city, but 1rishmen in the first