The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-01-26

O&0QUoC given 10 Ms60rS. A0ttle dnC
Hasleton, before THAR departure 70,
/ their present American mission. Mr.
Redmond reiterated and emphasized
y the party position in these unmistals-
/. able words:
II am not one Of those who. for q
small immediate temporary gain would
be inclined to sacrifice the hopes Of al
- ultimate solution within our lifetime.
(. h4ve been q good deal criticized quite
lately because said that in my judg-
anent the acceptance by Ireland Of q
:. scheme for the Improvement of Irish
government would be wrong if the ac'
ceptance of that scheme would inter-
< fere with the efficiency and unity and
power Of the National movement III
the future. I hope it is not irreverent
to invoke the name in this matter OF
.the great Irish1nan, Henry Grattan
But most Of us believe that Henry
Grattan committed the mistake of his
life when lie agreed to the disband-
). ment Of the Volunteers. And until we
+. lave achieved at least free Irish par
./liament, with an executive responsible
to 1t, will never consent to the dis
bandment Of the Irish forces, or to the
acceptance of any scheme, however
plausible, which would have the effect
Of depriving the Irish movement of its
power and efficiency in the future"
Nor, of course, do the Irish party
pin their faith to British promises or
pledges, Of the worth Of which in the
past they are not In the least forgetful.
Their trust is in themselves and their
own people, and their own race
throughout the world-Irish organiza-
: tion, Irish unity, Irish stern adherence
to the traditional Irish claim for full
freedom. II believe now as strongly
as I ever believed" said John Dillon
last st. Patrick's day. chat Ireland
must rely not upon any English party,
but upon herself, her own determine
tion and the spirit Of self-sacrifice OF
llsr own sons, the unity and strength
Of her own movement and her own
party" And in an address to his own
constituents In Mayo. during the cleo
tions, Mr.. Dillon thus laid stress upon
what 1t is that must be the sole re-
lance Of the Irish people in the strug-
gle for their National rights:
'But, gentlemen. truth to tell, I have
: not taken so much interest In the
character of the pledges and the
-----.! ,aders as son1e of
4 ne r. untry has taken,
-. men, because the
"a .as /. that have al
s'a -r. vat the future OF
the National cause depends not at all
upon the speeches and pledges OF
English leaders, bat upon the power
and the unity OF the Irish nation and
1rn e the Irish parliamentary party.
put it In this way: Surprising thai
you had from the leaders of the Lib
/. eral party or any other party. pledges
Of the most satisfactory and explicit
character, do you imagine for single
moment that they would or that they
could carry out those pledges If the
driving power and force OF a united
ireland were renewed from the scene
for a single nlor1ent? Not at ALL"
And in illustration he instanced the
situation at the time Of tho general
Al 10 ut
an had been had from the Liberals
but an appeal from Mr.. Gladstone to
the British electorate for such a ma
jority as would make him "independ-
cnt of the Irish party" That was the
position in 1885, and yet, said Mr.
Dillon, within a gear we had this
great statesman driving through the
House Of Commons with all the power
at his command the great measure Of
Homie Rule Of 1885," The moral points
plainly to the force Of a united Ire.
land" That was what made a Home
Ruler Of Mr.. Gladstone. That is what
has brought about the present situa.
ton SO favorable for thc Irish cause
And that is what will be the main in.
huence in securing that the forthcom-
ing Irish bill shall be Of characte,
to render it acceptable to the lrisl
people.
Ireland, therefore, is not relying or
British promises or pledges. It is re.
lying on its own power, through which
4. often before it has wrenched install.
ments Of it's rights from hostile Brit.
ish parliaments. The present British
parliament, at least the majority ii
the present House of Commons, is no
Y hostile to Ireland's claims. 1t ough
NJ to be easy to pass in that assembly
satisfactory Irish measure with sucl
a majority as 20 nuke the House O
Al Lords very cbary Ct Rejecting it.