HOME RULE.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 11110, 6 May 1911, Page 3

HOME RULE.

THIS FINAL GOAL. Sir, — Tho gospel of Home Rule as preached in New Zealand is a vast]} different doctrine' to that promulgate in Ireland. If Messrs. Hazleton, Red mond, and Donovan had delivered ad dresses in the Wellington Town Hal in harmony with tho.se delivered to r purely Nationalist audience, and on Iris] soil, it, is certain that local opinioi would bo the reverse to that as nov existing. What the envoys arc preach ing in Now Zealand is well known t( your readers from the lips of the dele gates themselves, and it is to be speci ally noted how they stress the poiir of remaining attached to England, am the Imperial Parliament. "They wen not asking separation from the Umpire,' said Mr. Hazlcton, M.P., and ho conic have added sotto voce: "Not in tin meantime." AYhatever diplomacy the envoys pos sess themselves, when away from home it is unfortunate for tho cause of Hoim Rule, that tho members of the National ist Party arc not so astute when a homo. What .ire the aspirations of thi Nationalists? and what is the final goal I will quote a few extracts taken fron the speeches of members of their owl party, and reported in Nationalist news papers. Mr. Jos. Devlin, M.P., in ai address delivered at Limerick Junction December 13, declared himself in favou of Ireland, "a free and independeli nation." "Freeman's Journal" (N.) December 14, l!) 08. Mr. Jno. 0. Kell; said, while speaking at the Grand Opcr: House, Brooklyn, New York: "We wil take anything and everything that w can wring from •the English Govern ment that will benefit Ireland. But w never will let up fighting that ac cursed Government until Ireland get her freedom, and becomes a frco am independent nation." —New York "Iris! World" (N.), March 0, 1909. Mr. Hazleton, M.P., opened hi speecli at Wellington with a quotatioi in the Irish language. Ho said it wa the tongue of bis forefathers, tho hall mark of Ireland's separate ami distinc nationality. Before long it would cch< in the Parliament of Ireland. Very well At a meeting of tho Gaelic League, licit at Enniscorthy; and reported in tli "Wexford People" (N.), November 11 1905, it states: "There would shortl; be, a line of demarcation' drawn acros the country; and they would have t< take their stand under the National Fla| or tho flag of Dublin Castle; also a a meeting of the same league, held ci October 29, 1905, at Catcragh County Cork, the Rev. J. O'Hea, P.P., said "The Gaelic League, movement would im prove their country.anct raise it up fr the rival of an independent nation.' Mr. Hazleton, M.P., the envoy not in New Zealand, addressing a meetini in Lawrence, Mass., on November 11 1907, said: "The fight has been con ducted for precisely tho samo old prin ciplcs, namely, the right of Ireland to gov ern itself without outside interference.' Also at an Irish demonstration held a Fall River, Mass., in November, Mr T. M. Kettle, 'M.1 , ., , and Mr. R, Haz loton, M.P., were the special speakers Mr. Kettle, M.P., clearly revealed t< his audience the ultimata aims of hi: party. He said: "The message wi boar is from that illustrious leader o our party, Jno. Redmond. If there i any man in this audience who says t< us, as representing that Parliamcntar; movement, "I don't believe in your Par liamentary ideas. I don't accept Honn Rule. 1 go beyond it. I believe in ai independent Irish nation.' ; If any mai ;;ays this, 1 say wo don't disbelieve ii it.' These arc our tactics: If you are t> take a fortress, first take the onto works. We believe that no man lias i right to set limits to the aspirations o a nation, and no man has a right to sa; thus far shall; thou go and no further. "New York Irish World" (N.), Novem bcr 24, 1906. In an article" on "Tho Political Out look" in tho "Dundalk Examiner , (N.), November 11, 1905, it .says: "Le the workK see that Ireland is outsid the palo ■of the British Constitution.' The "Midland Reporter" (N.), of Aiig ust ii, 1909, says: "They would neve desist in their efforts until'.they havestablished a free and independent con stitution iu Ireland, and they wouli never rest content until they ha< bundled out of Ireland every vestig of English Influence and foreign rule.' Speaking at a meeting of the Gaeli League, held in tho grounds ofj th Convent of Poor, Clares, Kenmarc July 4, 1907, the Rev. Daniel Lavart saicl: "They know what they wero aim ing for in tliis country was self-goi eminent—independence if you will—an the only way to succeed was to driv out every man with English inclin: tion." Cork "Examiner" (N.), July 31 1907. At a meatinp held at Kilkenny o Mav, 4. 1009, the Rev. Philip O'Dor noil said: "Ireland ought to bo a fre and independent nation," and "Irclan should not be a weak British pr< vince, or bo under the •In perial Government; but an _al solutely free, independent natior working hor own laws, havin her own commerce, and her own arm and Navy, as frco as the gre.il, rcpubli beyond the sens." (Cheers.) "Free man's Journal" (Nationalist), May lc 1909: and in Londonderry, on May ( the Rev. O'Donnell said "they woul do all in their power to' make Irclan a nation free and independent in th siglit of God and man."—"DiuicM Democrat" (N.), May 15, 1909. ' One o tho envoys (Mr. Donovan) is a membe of the A.O.H. Tho National Secretary, Mr. Jno. G Nugent, speaking at a meeting a Cnstlcwellan on March 17. 1908, said "It makes manifest to friend and fo thnt the spirit which lived in men wh rose in 1641 to clear Ireland of the Eng lish garrison is neither deadlier dyiuo Wo renew, in tho name of St. Patrick our declaration of Ireland's freedom and never will we cease until ever, vestige of British rule is swept out o tho country." (Loud ' cheers.) —"Iris! News" (N.j, March 18,. lflOS. The Rev Eugene Sheehy delivered a speech ii the Rotunda, Dublin, on ■ March 7 1910, in which ho said: "They ha< not in readiness any means- at thei command to knock down an Englisl Dreadnought, but the Germans lniah do it for them. (Applause.) . Tin fundamental principle deep down in th< heart of every Irishman was, if it couli be. accomplished, absolute separatioi from tho only people on this earth a whose hands'they had suffered—(ap plause)—and, further, it was a ques tion of planting the flag of Ireland ii the ruins of British usurpation in thi; country." (Prolonged applause.)"Freeman's Journal" (N.), March 8 1910. I could givo many instances oi similar nature, but space forbids What I dosiro to know_ is this: Tin statements given iu this letter arc llioso of tho Nationalist party, and pub lishcd in Nationalist newspapers. i sin not aware that any single statement has been refuted cr denied by the responsible leaders of that party. Wil Messrs. Redmond, Hazlcton, and'Dono : I'au assure us (hat what their partj say in Irelind about complete separation from England is erroneous, anc [ho Nationalist papers quoted have made a grievous mistake, or will Ihej themselves admit that tho ultimato goa.' is "free and independent nation"? Let us have the- same gospel in New Zeaand as preached iu Ireland, and Ihoii ivo shall be able to understand the lositiou. The meat question of Roman I'iitholic and Protestant differences is joo largo a question to enter into in :his letter, but I may. if opportunity •"resents itself, bo able to "turn on the imelicht" in a subsequent- article, Ln

tho mcantiir.o, I should bo pleased to know what tho envoys have to say on tho foregoing statements.—], am, etc., UNION JACK.

Sir, —As a constant reader of your paper, 1 would ask for a small space in which to reply to your correspondent "Lict-qr," he his opinion on Homo Ihilc. Ho evidently feels very sole because tho Irish envoys have been accorded a generous sin<l hearty welcome, hero in New Zealand, and vents his chagrin over ihe matter by putting it down to Ciiti iglibruik-e of New Zealandors regarding Home Rule. Rather a gratuitous insult to the intelligence of tho people of this Dominion, 1 should say. 1 am of opinion, though, that the great majority of New Zealanders know what liomu Rule means, as well, perhaps belter, ■ than your correspondent, though ho has lived somo twenty years in Ireland; autt'the bulk of the people hero look upon the question from' a. broader, loftier, and more democratic point of view than that of "Lictor," 1 Mm happy to say. And, hence, why tho Irish delegates were well received, not alone by Irishmen here, but by leading and honourable Englishmen and Scotchmen also. And "Lictor" feels so wroth with all and sundry, he cannot ei-eii hide it. I am sorry for him. He, is so obsessed over it that lie rushes recklessly into print, and makes assertions and statements which aro so far from being facts that 1 challenge him to make good his statement —that repeatedly Protestants have to be guarded by soldiers on going to the polling booths. And, further, lie states there would bo fewer Nationalists in the House of ComiTions if the public wore allowed to vote as they wished. Well, well, all this is news to me, as well as to thousands of others, lam sure. 1 havo lived close on thirty years in Ireland—was born there—and witnessed many elections, but I never saw, or even heard, that Protestant-Irishmen were treated after tho manner so described bv your correspondent. Oh, no; that's "drawing ille long bow" too much, you know. With all to every man's opinions, at the s/uno time a person making such sweeping, one-sided, and ■uncorroborated statements as "Lictor" docs, because of apparent anti-Irish Home Rule feeling, is open to severe criticism, and, indeed, to censure as well, for not alono is ho an enemy of Home Rule and the people of old'ireland, but ho is also an enemy, though his narrow vision and biased inind fails fo discern it. 1 say he is no friend of the Umpire—rather an enemy—as I have said. Talking ■of an Irish Republic and weakening England! As a Celtic-Irishman allow me to tell your correspondent "Lictor"; that so ' far from weakening England by granting Home Rule, that it would have the very opposite effect. And 1 make the statement advisedly, and without fear of contradiction. It would only servo to strengthen and consolidate the bonds of union that connect Ireland with England—cement and unite the two peoples more closely together than at present. There is not a question of doubt about it. So much for "Lictor , s" political acumen and knowledge of tho Irish, and, I inay add. Imperial question in connection with the granting of Home Rule.— I am, etc., P.M.T. May 5, 1911.