The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1912-04-20
This is How John Redmond Char
acterized Home Rule Struggle
in Dublin Speech.
1t is National Movement Compris
ing all the Representatives of
All the Creeds.
Establishment of Sell.
Government Sooner Than Most
Sanguine Think.

AT the great Home Rule demon-
stra ton In Dublin on March 81 which
has been likened to the gathering
which O'Connell addressed On the Hill
of Tara. John Redmond had a mes.
sage for his people which rang with
the glad tldings OF an early triumph
of the Home Rule cause. We quote
Mr.. Redmond's speech in full. He
said:
Ny Lord Mayor and fellow country.
men, my first thoughts today are how
poor and weak and worthless are any
this. No words of mine, no words Of
any Of the speakers. can add to the
Importance and splendor and l would
sny the solemnity of this occasion.
This gathering-its vustness. its good
order, its enthusiasm, and Its unity
Is unparalleled in tine modern history
Of Ireland. In point of numbers it re-
calls the monster meetings of OCon-
nell, but never at the best of his days
did he assemble a, gathering so rep
resentative of all Ireland. Every city,
every county, think I can also truly
say ever parish in Ireland. is repre-
sented In the capital Of ireland today.
The mayor and corporation of every
city and town OF Ireland, except t,Vo,S
t41 iva IA ns,A I.
ering. Almost every representative
public body In Ireland is here. Every
religion Is here. They lie who say
that this is a religious movement. 1t
is National movement, and ireland
holds out her arms today to all her
sons Of every creed within her shores
Every class is represented here. Land
lords and tenants, laborers and arti-
sans, tho professions Of Ireland, Irish
commerce, Irish learning and Irish
art. irish literature. are all represented
at this meeting. In fact, " is no exc
aggeraton to say that this meeting
is Ireland. Yet, fellow-countrymen,
We must admit In truth that there ID
one gap, one body Of our fellow-coun-
trymen are absent today. They are
the men who themselves and their an.
ccstOrs have stood aloof for over one
hundred years from the great body Of
their fellow -countrymen. They are
men who have opposed In turn every
National effort for national emancipa.
tion. But I would say for them In
this hour of triumph for Ireland Z
nation, we have not one word of re.
proach or one word Of bitter feeling.
We have one feeling only in our
hearts, and that lis an earnest longing
ciliation. I may say to these fellow
| countrymen of ours they may repudi-
| ate Ireland, Ireland will never repudi-
ate them And we today look forward
with absolute confidence to the cer-
| tainty OF the near approach of that
day when they will form q powerful
and respected portion Of the self-gov-
erning Irish nation, and when they
will have the opportunity Of reviving
once more the glories Of their own
ancestors.
Now, ow-countryr1en, this great
gathering Is worthy of the solemn
moment at which we stand in the his
tory Of our country. In few short
days We will all be discussing the
| terms of great treaty Of peace be-
tween Ireland and England and the
Empire. Your elected representatives
will crticise it's provisions with jeal-
Gus care: they will take counsel in
great National Convention with the
leaders Of public opinion In Ireland.
But for myself, and speak only for
myself in this, desire to say that i
entertain a confident belief that the
Home Rule bill will be a great meas
ure, and will be adequate for the pur-s
poses Of those who promote it. Now.
what are those purposes? First. ia.
put an end once and for all to the
disastrous and ruinous war which has.
gone on between Ireland and England
and the Empire. The Irish people, I
believe, have always been willing to.
make peace with England; today they
are eager for the war to end. The
second purpose is to enable Ireland