The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-01-04

d1u SHAW anu al lIluI SOlldl
Doyle" said Mr.. Stephen Gwynn. And
he was quite right.
meeting the following telegram was
read by the -ses-seeret4ry, Osborne
so'Reialy:, j lkr liberal Assoc
aciatton, 're l'r ' satas Tin ah thousands of
{ Ulstsr Roeest sr assdjsaf to express
ssitsa ffaGil sympatAlsanith e object of
your aeetines l!le ! la ssnorrence of
thessneti,oas Employed by the Ulster
'SUnionists:: They wish to assure the
\ British electorate that the grant Of
4 Self-Government, so far from endan-
gcring Professionalism in Ireland, will
further the spread of mutual co-opera-
ton and trust among all creeds."
,Ft' Hon. Thomas Tough, III opening the
%meeting, after stating that the meet
: ing wits held under the auspices Of
Protestants from Eangland, Ireland.
Scotland and Wales, every one con-
nected Herewith being Protestant
'%wlo sympathized with the National
sdemand of the Irish people for Self
:. Government, said that the principal
object of the meeting was to utter an
emphatic protest against dragging re-
ligion into the debate on the Home
I Rule bill now before the British peo-
pie.
: Rev. Canon Lilley's resolution was
as follows: THAT this meeting, while
sympathizing with our co-religionists
in Northeast Ulster who fear that
they may suffer in consequence of the
bestowal upon Ireland of Self-Gov.
eminent is convinced that their fears
are groundless."
In seconding the resolution, which
was carried by reclamation, The
O'Maho1y said: There was still some
distrust in Ireland between classes,
but that he as u Protestant, declared
that was feeling that had never
been shared by their Catholic fellow
countrymen. There might be reasons
for National resentment by the OPP
pressed, but in this hour OF the tri-
umph of Ireland a Nation, neither
Catholic Irishmea nor Protestant
: Irishmen who. like himself, had taken
the side of the Irish Nation, had a
trace of bitter feeling which they
We're not willing to lay aside in the
bright light of the belief in the future
!, of united ireland, because they NUT
ually believed that under Home Rule
!" the present differences would disap-
pear.
Conan DoyIe's Remarks.
Sir A. Conan Doyle, in seconding
the second resolution moved by Sur
geon-General EVatt, said that this
meeting records its belief that the res
toration Of Selg-Government to Ire.
iaild will revive the prosperity of Ire
land lie continued:
-. ',lhe more independent or u.lsec-
tartan men We're in their views, the
more dependent they We're upon reli-
sious tolerance and complete freedom
of conscience. Such men would be
the first victims OF a reaction. There
fore it meant something IL they could
express their trust in their Catholic
fellow citizens and their belief that
: they were safe in their hands.
"They had good reason for that be-
lief. The Catholic Church had never
been a prosecuting Church in Ireland.
Besides, there were other countries
besides Ireland where Catholic and
Protestant dwelt together. Look at
Bavaria, Saxony or the Rhineland.
These We're Catholic countries; and
yet what evil thing had the Pope
done there, though he was the Spir-
itual Chief of tho majority of the peo-
pie?
g. And why should it be supposed
that in Ireland, with it's record of toll
erance, the Pope or the Catholic
Church would do what it had never
done in other countries where the
minority was far less capable of TAX
ing care OF itself. There was some
thing odious in this stirring up of re-
= ligious prejudices.
- "They lived in an age OF tolerance
and religious charity. 1t is deplor-
able that men should go back to old
methods, and turn what should be
most beautiful and sacred into a
> means of rousing prejudice ana ha-
tired. 1t Is good to see meeting like
this called together to express their
adherence OF it. What they wanted
was to turn their backs to the dark
z ness and their faces to the rising sun.
LET the past alone. His great grand :
- father was Catholic, and under the
Penal Laws he could net own a horse
:. over $25 in value, nor could he join
a learned profession.