The Irish standard., 1903-10-10

1 Nv l'lioN llS tAlt;tttS from (llt
speech recently delivered in Cork by
MIR. William O'I,rirn are taken from
the issue of September 2GtI of The
Irish People:
MIR. O'Erirn said: Father Barrett
anh men of Cork, | know need not
tell YOU how deeply and truly am
moved Ivy the wondcrrul-;,ll The Won
drrful Kindness and enthusiasm have
experienced ut your hands Tonight
CA Noice-"You are worthy of it,"
chrrrS,-from the time that the Bar
rack street Band marched up through
the streets of Dublin to see me off
from kingSbridgc down to the marvel
GUS progress through the streets of the
city which Tonight more proudly than
upon any night in its history is proud
to call itself Rebel Cork. 1t is to me
one of the most delightful incidents
of this night, next to the inspiring
sight of my friend. Father Barrett: it
is one of the greatest privileges of this
night for me to be associated, as Fn-
thcr Barrett has just SO elouucntIy as
sociatcd me. with my venerable col
league. Mr.. James T.. Y. O'I,ricn, who
was my lloilored leader many Il day
and year ago in Cork when to be an
Irish Nationalist carried Il penalty,
more serious than any that need Ie
apprcllrndrl from the modern cocr-
cion court. We have been passing
through critical timeS-thrOugh times
that it would be HffectntiOn for me to
deny have brought some of us many
anXieties and responsibilities. | don't
mind contrasting that the anXirtics OF
those last twelve months of peace"
making have brought me more wrin
kles and grey hairs than twenty years
of almost uninterrupted war with
Dublin Castle. But those troubles
never come from the people. and !
feel more than compensated for them
here Tonight, when | came back
among my own faithful constituents to
find myself greeted with the same
musical and cnrrSSiny accents Of wei
come. with that soft. cIllging tender
ness that makes the welcome of Il
Cork crowd to those they love the
most delightful welcome in all the
world. We have arrived. my friends,
at Il most cvcntful hour in the history
of our struggle. The two great objects
we set before ourselves in all the years
of strife and suffering we have been
passing through were the abolition Of
landlortlsm, to begin with, ana Nn-
tional elf-gOvernment to end with.
They seemed to be quixOtic objects
enough few years agO-evcn twelve
months ago. The wise men scOiTcd at
us as drcamcrs or brdlnmitcs. Well,
without the help of the wise men
the first of those objects is, to all in
tents and purposes, accomplished al
ready. Landlorlism is ruled out Of
existence by act of parliament. A
more astonishing thing still, we have
brought the landlords to sign the death
warrant of undl0rdism, and we have
got both the English parties and
both the English houses of parliament
to unite in placing on the statute
books the first cardinal principle of the
United Irish League and the Land
Leaguc. There were only Il few dozen
men among the twelve hundred lords
and commons of England who voted
against us. All the rest accepted as
meekly as lambs a programme which
twenty years ago would have thrown
them into an apopleXy. The coercion
government which only twelve months
ago had nothing plcasantcr to offer
us than six months Imprisonment ut
hard labor have themselves placed at
our disposal an act which, practically
speaking, undOcS the Saxon conquest
of ireland. hands over the entire soil
Of the country to the people. and dis
charges the alien garrison from the
pay Of England. if it does not actually
turn them into fresh regiments in the
armies Of Irish Nationality. That is
one great article in our programme