The Irish standard., 1919-11-01
Speeches Delivered
At the De Valera
Meeting in this City
Opening Remarks by John L. Lynch.

Mr.. President, Reverend Fathers, Eel
low Citizens: 4
l am an American! (Applause and
cheers. That is the praise and the
statement that we hear many times
and many times in this city discussing
the pro and con of this Irish question.
am an American, and twenty million
people of Irish descent are Americans
in this country, who feel that they un-
derstand the ideals and the ethics of
the principles of this Republic, and it
is because the people of Irish descent
understand the ideals of America that
we are appearing in this cause tonight
as American citizens. (Applause.)
1t seems almost as though through
the clouds tonight that we could look
through the period of 243 years and
see Benjamin Franklin appealing for
the rights OF the American colonies
before the Irish Parliament of Ireland.
We believe that we have paid our
debt to France, and we believe that
the ordinary American, realizing what
America means, knowing and studying
the history of our Revolutionary war;
realizing the help that that little coun-
try on the other side gave America
through that time,-it does seem to-
night, by the wonderful outpouring of
our citizenship, representing all races
and all creeds and all denominations,
that you feel, too, that this little coun-
| try is entitled to a fair presentation
of her claims. (Applause.)
Ireland and her citizens need no
! eulogy before an audience of this sort.
! Her sons in every cline and at every
time have given their blood and laid
down their lives in the defense of lib
erty: (Applause.) 1 want to say, fel.
low citizens, that we as Americans
tonight, stand for this principle, that
we stand not only for the freedom and
self-determination of Ireland, but we
stand for the freedom and self-deter
mination of any people who are com
petent and able to govern themselves
(Great applause.)
must not linger long. l have the
pleasure of introducing as the chair
man for this evening, Mr.. Louis r.
Ritten, President of the Minneapolis
City Council.
| Remarks by Mr.. Louis r. Ritten.
Honored Guests, Ladies and Gentle
men:
/ fully appreciate the honor con.
ferred upon me this evening, of being
asked to preside at meeting pf
American citizens, assembled in honor
of and to show the respect and the
sympathy we have with the efforts of
a small nation seeking freedom. CAP.
plahse.)
l especially feel as an American
imbued with the spirit of freedom, and
believe it fs the sentiment in the
heart of every American. that all small
nations should be free. (Applause.) }
We have had an expression from no
less parsonage than Mr.. Baker, Sec.
retary of War, who recently stated
that the American people believe in
liberty so much that they cannot deny
that liberty to any other nation or any
other people. (Applause.)
l am not an Irishman, nor the des.
cendent of an Irishman, but speak as
an American citizen, with the love and
the freedom that we enjoy in this
country. l have not the oratorical
ability to impress you with the great
pleasure it gives me to speak at this
meeting tonight, but what I lack in
that respect make up in my SINGER
est sympathy with all small nations
seeking freedom. (Applause.)
have the honor at this time, ladies
and gentlemen, of presenting a man
direct from Ireland, one who has
served in Parliament, man that was
elected to that honorable position by
an overwhelming vote of his country
men, the Hon. Mr.. Boland. Applause
and cheers.)
Address by Hon. Harry 6oIand.
Mr.. Chairman. Ladies and Gentlemen:
We are preaching cause.-The cause
Of nation. We come as direct repre-.
sentatives of the Irish people, to put
the claim for Irish liberty before the
American people.
l, as your chairman has pointed out.
represent an Irish constituency.
have also the honor of holding the
position Of Honorary Secretary of the
Sinn Fein organization. (Applause.)
1t has become necessary for men to