The Irish standard., 1904-08-27

come not here as Il leader but as do
s'rlhS TO occupy the place of one Of
the rank and file of the party (cheers.)
l receive this kindness ut your hands
us one Of yourselves (hear, hear.
And it is, therefore, to private in
the ranks that you, of the ranl, and
HE, under the leadership of our dis
tlhgulshed chairman, have offered this
wllch L regard as an unexampled COM
pllment. l rejoice to hear the words.
Which believed might have the hap-
plncss to hear from Mr.. Redmond
the expression Of friendship between
us (cheers). Our friendship dates from
the beginning, and it has had it's foun-
dation In concurrence of sentiment in
politics. But something more is want
ed to make the friendship that touches
the heart, as we'll as the respect and
esteem and confidence, that appeal to
the more intellectual side of our nature.
1t Is that which l cherish most md
which you tell me that have received
in your comradeship (cheers). Politics
is suspicious world. Party politics
Is even suspicious world in some
quarters. But hold politics to be the
highest and noblcst pursuit Of true
citizens in free land (chcers), and 1
hold it to be a still higher and nobler
pursuit when it is the pursuit of y
citizen in subjugated land asserting
the freedom of his country, and that is
our destiny (cheers). We from the
necessities Of the case in this crcot
assembly, stand apart. We do not re-
sret that we stand apart We sit by
our own will perpet,lally in what are
called the cold shades of opposition.
We have nothing whatever except that
which is worth everything to animate
US, the pure aspiration to restore the
liberties of our country (cheers). We
are cstranged, and so long as this
island persists in her course of declin-
ing us our constitutional freedom we
must remain estranged from the re-
maindcr Of this assembly.
we sit here as strangers in
strange place (chcers), because our ma
tlonnl aspirations are as vet ignored
by the majority of the assembly, and
therefore our position is in this respect
distinctive and peculiar.
We submit ourselves to severe dis
cipline, provided by the experience of
many years in the struggle in which
we are engaged, subjecting all individ.
ual opinion to the views of the maiori-
1ty of the party That is an abnormal
situation to which in my own country,
free, and therefore not requiring that
discipline, l should never submit. But
l came here knowing the obligation.
and convinced of it's necessity in the
circumstances in which we are, and 1
have never found the slightest diff
Guilty in complying loyalty with it
(cheers). There is, therefore, in the
abnormal situation one safeguard for
individual judgment and one safety
valve for individual Observation-Disclosures.
ly, the agreement that before deci-
sion is taken there shall be the fullest
and freest discussion in the councils of
the party, so that each man, no matter
what his position may be in the party,
has an equal right to express his opin-
ion, to vindicate his views, to hear
what is to be said upon the other side,
and If that is done he may all the more
freely and with the better conscience
agree to the judgment of an instructed
majority-of majority instructed. at
any rate, into what is to be said upon
both sides of the question, and decided
with fair regard and even tender scru-
pie as to the opinions of every ind:-
vidual, however humble (cheers). That
free discussion is good for the individ-
ual, for it gives him the opportunity.
Mt any rate, of not being overruled un-
heard. 1t is good for the cause, be-
cause it gives to the cause the best
guarantee against hasty judgment and
decides quite frankly on the merits of
the case. For my part would rather
hear the rank and file complain of.
being summoned too often than of not