The Irish standard., 1909-01-30
be assumed that the campaign

may be assumed that the campaign
n against the House Of Lords is a reality
! and not 4 pretence. One Of Michael
Eavitt's strongest hopes for Ireland
was in a union of Orange and Green
in Ulster, and no man ever did more
to make that union a reality. 1t was
not by whiting away the Irish IA
tional claim that he sought to effect
! this. He knew the Orangemen 200
i well for that, even il he were capable
Of STOPPING to such a method. Nd,
but he won their Arbitration by the
honesty and steadfastness of his char
acter, and they were prepared to is
ten to him with respect If they were
not ready to accept his principles.
He appealed to their patriotism as
Irishmen, and not to their cupidfty as
o. class, and he showed them that. l,n-
der Home Rule, not only would there
be no fear whatever Of persecution of
Professionals as such, but that their
position would be one of exceptional
advantage and power. He believed
that, to make converts. a man ought
first to be loyal to his own Party. and
that the man who was false to his own
principles and to his own Party could
not be true to any others. And that
is why the orangemer still respect the
name Of Michael Dlvitt. One other
point about Michael Edvitt's character
was his loathing Of anything in the
nature Of ostentation or parade in re-
gard to himself. To him the work
was its own reward; except upon very
rare occasions, and tnen only whel
1t was unavoidable. he never referred
to his own sufferings IL prison
= remember such all exceptional &C.
easion arising at the great Irish Race
Convention. when he was called upon
to speak to a resolution calling COR
the release of the political prisoners.
and I shall never forget the hush
which fell upon the audience when he
declared that for whole years in pris-
ON no had never been free from the
pangs Of hunger. But he did not -n-
fer to this by way o: boasting or to
win applause. but only to illustrate
the sufferings which Irish political
risoners were compelled to endure.
and so to more strongly recommend
tile resolution to the Convention. It
was my privilege to be very closely
associated with Michael Davitt for
some years before his death. ana
can truthfully say that have nevor
met a more unself1sh man or more
loveable personality. His magnanim-
ity was superb.
He was one of .f1e most resolute
fighters Of his time. He could both
give and take hard blows. But he
could never turn. a deaf ear to che
cry of distress. even from his bitterest
enemy. He was too honorable ever to
strike below the belt. His fights were
for principles. He left personalities
to smaller and weaker men. He held
strong personal views on many qucs-
tions, and held them strongly ill
the last. But he never advanced them
III such a way as to threaten the unity
and solidarity of the National move
ment. He was always prepared 20
stand down or out rather than to play
the role of self-seeker or the
wrecker. For mere theorisers, Ind
for all cant and humbug, he had tlia
utmost contempt, and some Of his most
effective work was in keeping the
movement free from these excrescen-
cas- of whicAwe are threatened with a
recrudescence today. He died as no.
bly, as lie had lived, be1ueathing to
Ireland the ,lndying hope for her fres-
dom. to which his lie had been de-
voted; and it is by resolving to Go
our part to hasten tho fulfllment Of
that hope that we can most fifty hon.
or and perpetuate his memory