The Irish standard., 1910-04-23

self and the members of the Irish Par
lish Liberal Party-that when he de-
s1res to seek a conference with his old
colleagues he should seek that confer
ence through the Chancellor of the
Exchequer or the Chief Whip of the
Liberal Party? (applause). He as
serts in his speech in Cork that Mr.
Lloyd George asked Mr.. Redmond and
myself to meet him in friendly con-
ference and that we refused. 1 say
| here today that there is not word of
truth in that statement. Mr.. Lloyd
George never asked us, and think Mr.
Lloyd George has more sense of pro-
prlety and of his own position than TO
convey such an invitation: but 1 am
bound to say that if Mr.. Lloyd George
asked me to meet Mr.. O'Brien and Mr.,
Healy in friendly conference should
have undoubtedly refused (hear, hear)
and that if they desired to meet Mr..
Redmond or myself let them approach
US directly. and not through the whip
Of the Liberal Party (applause). No;
the true gravamen, the true nature of
this complaint, is this, not that we
nave refused to meet Mr.. O'Brien and
Mr.. Healy in friendly conference,
but that we have declined to depose
MI OBrien in his place (applause).
That is the real reason of the COM
plant, and that we have refused to
hand over to Mr.. OBrien and Mr..
Realy, and place at their disposal and
leadership the 72 votes of the Irish
party which Ireland was to have given
to them but, unfortunately. decided not
to do Qaughter). That is the real
cause of complaint; and we are told
now, as have said, that we are wreck
ers going to vote against the govern
ment and destroy this party, while a
few weeks ago we were told we. were
slaves and that in no circumstances
could we be lashed into voting against
the government lelaughter). What is
our attitude on this question? Our
attitude 'issthis: This budget has been
grossly misrepresented. Its bad points
with regard to Ireland have been mon-
strously exaggerated. But Mr.. O'Brien
says he can get concessions. I say
that he can get no concessions. Seven
votes won't get any concessions, but
we have known all along that we are
In position to get concessions-that
went without saying (applause) OF
course we can obtain concessions, but
we had larger and wider objects in
view. The budget is undoubtedly i'm
portant, but there is something more
important that Mr.. O'Brien and Mr..
Healy seem to have forgotten. We
were sent to Westminster with COM
mission from the Irish people to fight
for Home Government, and in dealing
with the budget we had to consider the
question of fighting for Irish liberty,
and not only for concessions on the
budget (applause), we could obtain
these concessions, and, Of course, we
will obtain them if the budget is al
lowed to pass (applause). But we had
to remember that in addition to OBJ
tanning concessions we were bound to
use our power to keep the government
up to the fight and to the pledges on
which they had won the election (ap-
plause). 1t has been said over and
over again that the limiting of the
veto of the House of Lords means
Home Rule for Ireland. That is abso-
lutely true, and the attack on the
House of Lords has brought the ques
ton Of Home Rule to the forefront of
English politics again (applause), and
politics but in America, Canada and
Australia that is recognized (renewed
applause). Mr.. O'Brien goes on to say
in that speech that the Irish Party
were never so low in credit and that
we have disgusted all English parties
and that We have brought the party
in Ireland lower than it was ever be-
fore. say the direct opposite to every
one of these statements (applause). l
say that in my judgment, based on a
long experience, the Irish Party never
| stood so high in Great Britain as it
stands today (applause). So far from
disgusting all British parties, we have
won the respect of all of them, and i
claim without fear of contradiction
whether it be amongst our country
men in Great Britain. who are the
| bravest Nationalists throughout the
world, or whether it be among Radi-
| Gals or Conservatives either that the
credit of the leader of the Irish party
and Of the Irish party itself never stood
| so high (applause). Then, sai3t Mr.
| n ho1