THE NATIONALIST PARTY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 18, 16 October 1907, Page 4

THE NATIONALIST PARTY.

MR, REDMOND'S REPLY TO IRISH CRITICS. • , ; , Mr. John Redmond,; SLJV,' was the principal speaker at a Nationalist.meeting held at Ballybofoy, county Donegal,,-on" August 2 ( J. Addresses of' welcoma'had;' previously been • presented by the 'Countyy'Council; "of Donegal and others. .;_Mr'. ( R«dmqnd, ; in r&ply, said that the addresses,'.taken,.in.conjunction with tho public meeting, proved to him that county Donegal was, absolutely .united in support of tho Irish'party. The work of the party during ,'th'e"session .showed what the; people had to gain by'having a watchful party in the House "of , Commons. 7He never felt more confident of the Irish movement than ho did , a<; the present' moment. At:-tho public mooting Moiuigno'r M'Glynn, Archdoacoh'of Raphoe, presided. ;, *" ", : , 'Mr. Redmond said - nothing had occurred which ought "to /shake their belief ''.in' tho early- triumph of the national ','causb pr.'lto discredit those great weaponii'by the .'use; of which' iilon'o they'had 1 won' reform's.'in'the past,' namoly. a united, pledgei-bound ■ party, and a determined and organioed, country behind it. 1 ; At , the' same time they .must 'face the fact'that there was at shis moment in many parts of the country disappointment'at the rate of progress of their movement, and at v .tho-fact that they had failed-tb' obtain, in a, couple obsessions frojn- the present.Govornment. ,a satisfactory! mojsure -,;of Home Rule for Irelandi ~The.great need at, this momoiLt .was for.-,the'country to pull, itself together, and not allow what was perhaps a natural.feeling of disappointment to degenerate 'into . apathy or ; despair J ';' A i Parliamentary party .representing ; .lrelaud'/in''the 'British ' Parliament 'was, from sdhie''points"of view, moro necessary to-day than at any period since, the; Union. 1 He had been greatly struck by the. fact that in-those places where there was-to-day-most, criticism of-.the'lrish Party: there .had -~ been., the - least support-, of the party : in-the.: past, and. the further fact that the .men who wero. to-day loud intheir criticism of the Irish ; .party.:Wero men-who had done nothing, by voice, pen, labour, sacrifice, or money, in_the past eight,years,,to strdnetheii'-onEUppo'rt, 'thV party. ;\ *■?/''■' \ 7 ,

NO ALLIANCE WITHTHS LIBERALS. The Irish party of to-day were, absolutely independent of all'po|itical:'cbmbinatibhs : in England. , They had n6' : 'allia'nc'o 'with "the present Liberal they could make no alliance with that party, "except on condition that the Liberals not only ■ determined to introduce av-;full .measurei of Homo Jtule> for Ireland) but..nade',jt the first and paramount item on theii;,•■..•■ programme.' (Applause.) They .had not done that. All sorts of disgraceful and scandalous.. stpjiea had 'been ' repeated-' 1 witH/tefaenSe" tb' 'the action of the-Irish members' House of Commons. These stories.were absolute falsehoods. •:People talked of •■ thei.sMal-'felati'ona between Lfllerals'." For his pnrt ho; had never in liis 'lie could say the same for'his',colleagues-*tak??. part in any social-political feathering; either Liberal or Tory, in' the House of Coramons. (Applause.) v ,-The Irish .members spending • laborious"'days.;'arid,. nights.-, there,. working for' Ireland, away,'frpm tHejr homes and' their families, making : sacrifices' which few realised; and it was disgraceful that'any 'many should circulate with''refefenceHb them, some of the stories" that "he;.had s'feen'.v'tt would, in his opinion, •be sheer midsummer madness, and .iolly!. worthy »0f;...a .. of ■ children if the great, weapon,'inLthci.r, were/ribw; to .be. abandoned.;,,.'. /" >-v^'.,<-'.- ( K :':-' EVICTED TENANTS' ACT' IS" ! A ' VALUABLE MEASURE. '; "*• He attributed the action of Lords in,'mutilating the ' 'Evicted/.''Miuti Bill'entirely to 'tbeliopo! which recent e'rente had inspired in the mmds of the peers"that they "wore on the eve of a now split • in Ireland. ~of cpurse.thoy,-wero mistaken; in , .that, but the, mutilation, ; of-.'that B;ll threw; an, 4.nK mediate-duty,, on •th.e.Jrish,.people., .Eyenias, passedpthe Evicted Tenants BiU.was a valu r able' piece of legislation/ which if fairly worked, as ho was sure it would bo, by the Estates; (Oommissiouers,.-;would;?;ery .'cpnsiddr- ' ably accelerate the restoration of the evicted tenants to their •■'-homes.— : (Hear, : hear.) There.was,one;serious .b10t... )Vhile .alLothor ovicted.'.tenants,in .Ireland, wore;,to bq; ; storod l ,t6,'tlioir.,hpmes, thqsb on'Lbrd ,CLinricarde's estate, .were, (Lords could' do it,. to ( be .permanently; excluded ; . from.;, their , homes..... Ireland,;,would cover, hqrsolf with disgrace, if .she taniely. sybm'itted., to such a, provision. .He told;, Lord Clanricardo and House. pf.-.Lords ; thai .the lagt word in,this',contest .rested-:inot.i.with then'i,- but .with', the. people/of,.lreland.— (Apr Jause.). Next. would- see .fresh land-legist lation introduced, in the, House of Commons, but-no' epmprehensive :Land-,Bill«had ..any. chance' ''of. .passing,'".through.-f-.tho,. ] House ? :,pf Lords next, year, unless,lreland- : this autumn and 'R'i.nter.nbsblutely, v ;united, and.made, her movoment strong and menacing,.,- so that the Ho'uiie of Lords would ifealiso..that "Ireland jould--not be -trifled .with.-7r(App!ause.), ,_ Inconclusion Mr., Redmond protested against tho arrest of r iUr.;Farrell,MM.P.. .Mr, EarreU/hp. said,-was quite prepared,;to ; face the consequences' of. his acts,: and - it.rwas- a,(.cqiiT teiiiptiblo:' thing .to['-put.,;\ipon-:! > him. ; tho indignity .and ,-.discomfort:., of '.being-dragged out; of- his bed in the. dead, of-night and arrestecl,. .when! ho: could Lhave '.been summoned, and "eyeryone., know, that, he • would -. - have, gladly,'faced the summons as ; a-brave man.r(Appiailise.) ~.-,:,. ■ .;;.-,.■ ■ ~-,.. :■ }<'■ ■■ ,--<-.■•■ -■':'■::, ,';■•