The Irish standard., 1916-08-12


of 46 to 10. OF the 80 Senators alb
sent it is known that % would have
supported the Phelan resolution.
Three Democrats voted against the
resolutions, Williams of Miss, Pomer-
enc of Ohio and Fletcher of Florida.
The Senate Foreign Relations commit
tee was outvoted.
The debate for the resolution was
led by Senator Phelan of California,
against it by Senator Williams of Mis-,
sisspi. Extracts from the two speech
es follow:
Senator PheIan.
What is the subject matter which
engages our attention? 1t is simply the
expression of sympathy, in a broad
way-departing from the language of
the resolution-with the aspirations Of
the people of another country for lib
erty, for autonomous government; and
in this particular country, Ireland, that
struggle has been going on for very
great number of years, and therefore
it ought to be we'll known.
In 1882 home-rule Parliament was
established in Ireland, under circum-
stances not unlike those that exist to-
day, and doubtless that example was
in the minds of the men who recently
engaged in revolution. England was
engaged in foreign war. If l recol-
lect Alright, she was engaged in trying
to suppress the independence of the
United States; and the Irish, taking
advantage OF her foreign war. as they
did the other day. rose in rebellion,
and finally established in Dublin Par
lament, which consisted of 800 men,
bers and which lasted for is years,
during which time, under the leader
ship of such men as Henry Grattan.
it enacted legislation which led to the
extension of Irish commerce and the
promotion of Irish industries and man.
ufacturers; and it was so eminent a
success that this same British Gov
ernment at the end of is years plotted
to destroy it.
There was no revolution to put
down. The country was prosperous
and at peace; but as England in that
day only held subject States for the
benefit of enhancing it's own wealth.
making them tributary to the mother
country, it had no sympathy with the
reestablishment Of Irish nationality as
expressed in local legislative body
and undertook it's destruction, having
no excuse whatever outside of the fact
that l have stated. Ireland was at
peace. There was no domestic tu-
mutt; there was no threats against Eng
land. 1t was simply, in an orderly
way, pursuing it's own proper inter-
ests. as expressed by it's legislative
body in laws just as our American
States are doing every day.
In order, however, to destroy that
Parliament, England resorted to the
methods Of Walpole, and, as told by
Sir Jonah Barrinston, in his History of
the Rise and Fall of the Irish Nation,
$5,500,00O was used as bribe money.
The rotten boroughs were all bought.
The members were corrupted, not only
by money where necessary, but by
that more polite and insidious method
Of comforting honors and baronetcies
and titles. And so this Parliament
was led to dissolve itself, and, as Lord
Byron said, that celebrated "act of un-
ion," so called, was simply the union
Of the shark with its victim.
From that day the Irish people, re-
senting such treatment, have persist
ed in a demand for q local legisla-
tive body; and Mr.. Gladstone, who
began life as a Tory, inimical to Irish
interests, and who was described as
the rising hope of the stern and un-
bending party, gradually, by q process
Of evolution, convinced himself, as he
did the country, that ireland was enti-
tied to a local legislative body; and
were it not for the Parnell scandal