The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1907-04-27
The Grant of Such Liberties and PRIVILEGES
Would Insure Peace and Prosperity
For Ireland.
This is the Demand of the Irish Leaders
Who Represent Their People in
the House Of Commons.

what they believed to be the aspira-
tions of the Irish nation for Home Rule
quilted those meeting with the solemn
protest that no man in his right senses
could question the aspirations present.
ed by those Irish envoys. 1t was a,
cheering thing, looking back on those
twelve months. to find that the Home
Rule movement, which some anticipat-
ed would be a source of disunion in
Australia was, on the contrary, a.
source of triumph for that movement.
for the party which represented it in
the British Parliament. and for the
whole Irish cause in Australasia.
The triumphs of the past We're only
a preparation for this year of COM
pletion and of triumph now opening.
They had seen the statements of the
Prime Minister of England, and they
were confident that some provision at
least would be made in the present
year for the full concessions OF those
liberties that the Irish nation demand
ed 1t was particularly fol. this reason
they mus rejoice in the triumph Of
the ENJOYS mission amongst them. be-
cause that campaign was a prepara-
tory one. Australia, indeed. was UNI
prepared to receive them, but the year
of crisis was at hand, and it was
matter of absolute necessity that the
Irish Party would be strengthened for
the fight and be equipped with ample
funds for this year of struggle.
They might anticipate that great diff
ficulties would be presented to the
granting of the full need of those Par
liamentary rights which Ireland aspired
to. Sometimes men said that Ireland
claimed too much in regard to her Par
liamentary rights. Others, especially
some in the United States. indulged
in fanciful separation from the I'M
perial government. and imagined that
nothing else would satisfy the Irish
people. A common sonse reply to such
an exaggerated statement was the
plain demand of the Irish Parliament
airy Party. which was that the same
measure of Home Rule be granted to
Ireland that was enjoyed at the pres
ent day by Australasia and Canada
Ireland simply wanted the management
of her own affairs, and would accept
nothing less.
When asking for the privilege she
pointed to Australia and Canada. and
said: You have here consistent, loyal,
devoted colonies that manage their
own affairs, and we claim the same
right. We rest assured that the as
signment of such liberties and the
same privileges to Ireland will insure
the same prosperity. the. same peace.
and the same devoted loyalty which
reigns throughout those colonies" But,
legitimate as t1ese> aspirations We're.
they naturally expected opposition to
arise. And looking back upon the CEN
tury just closed, they recognized that a
vast number of remedial measures had
been passed for Ireland that, perhaps,
at the beginning of the century would
have been styled fabulous and impos-
sible.
How were those difficulties over
come? How were such victories
achieved? BY the united and deter
mined action of the Irish people. This
was an irresistible force which no pow
er could withstand. In the early days
when the Penal laws were as yet in
force, how deadly was. the opposition
| that weighed down every energy of the
Irish people towards the middle of the
eighteenth century. The Chief Justice
declared from the Irish bench that it
was not supposed an Irish Papist
breathed in the land, and as late as
1890 Lord Kenyon. in one of the great
cases Of appeal that arose in Ireland
at that time said: THE Popish religion
lis now unknown to the law II the