MR GLADSTONE AT THE DUBLIN MANSION HOUSE.

Inangahua Times, Volume V, Issue 31, 8 February 1878, Page 2

MR GLADSTONE AT THE DUBLIN MANSION HOUSE.

Tho following ojctraot fron> Mr Glad* •.tonq'a speech at tho Mansion House is taken from tho Weekly F room in : - Ahl hnvo sukl, it appoiirs to mo thnt from your forofut hers in Dublin, with all their faults and iraporfeolion ()f which I am by no means unaware), you havo te* ceived no moan inheritance ; and to make the Dublin of tlio future worthy of tho Dublin of tho past, will bo a work that will task tho highest onorgios and ability oforon n people who possess no mean oapneify for such a work (hem , hear, and loud applause). I was bred in times when tho politics of Ireland woro directed by a man whoso name is rovored among you. He was a great mun, and ho performed great sorvioes in his oouatry— Daniel O'Oonnoll (applause)— and I lopo it is not a fault iv Daniel O'Oonnell, in your viow, that ho taught us— ho taught thoso who wero attached to I iboral opinions* as they aro understood in, England, to, hopo nud to dosiro thai; they may bo found fighting shoulder to, shoulder with tjtf.cn who profess the samo opinions in Ireland (hoar, liPtti 1 ). Howoror,, I hare only touched upon this st,ato, of things for, tho puvposo of assuring you upon two points. Jn tho first placo, whatever prcdiioctions or pro* possessions I might ontortain with regard to the conditions and tho prospects of the

party of which I was once tho loader, and of whioh I am now, t hope, * loyal member—howevor I mny regard it ns inheriting nearly all tho gi'O l ««««e s lloTe l>ePI * for my country, and of inner bjng llwn» upon its b»nner as its own performance* — yot it» viewing tho exiting state of things— in viewing the new eqn-lition of •he politii'nl ennjo, so to cull if, in tho Hmisa of Commons, ™? dourcs thut I may enlortain for tho wnlUbfing of tho liboral party, and for its r&Voncy as an iiiri rqment of Guvernmonf, are notwithfltondingentire'y subordinate to my deniro which I will yiold to no Horn« Ruler or any other mm, that the counsel taken or you in political mittora, nnd the counsels taken for you may be s»oh as white vor their cflt'of pn tho fortqnes of the Liberal party, shall bo tho wisc«t, and tho best for tho welfare of Ireland (ipplansr). I fully rccogn,ii*p your duty— to make the wolfaie of Ireland the first consideration of your mind, nnd I fames. 1y hope thai you m«y be guided in tho nroßOJu.iion of thut most legitimate end to tho wisostand l)c«t rhnioo of menns. So much \ think, imd I think no iflore than this, I shall venture to nay on tho miNjcot of politic* in !• eland, lam deeply interested in theio politics, but norer sh«U I forgft that thei'o is Romnthing before \\n lar moro important tliuti the tneee politics ot Ireland. Tho mere politics of a country lie upon tho snrfnc ; that irliich in vital and which is essential i* the social oonrliton of fho country. It is not whether my honorable frion I near to me, the tne.n'«or for Limerick and I arc taking pn'ci.tely the same views of party obligations. Tiat mny bo a qiestion worth con si taring ii> its ciwu place, but it is a question unim* pnrtant hero ; and what political nnm<; your mombors mny uall thcrrnelrei by is unimportant, in cumparison with that great question. Wliat h tho state of humm life in Ireland ? What N done to provide f, >r its wa.its, to alloviato its oares, to dorolop the onergies of our. nature, to give emotion and encouragement to wh»t is good, nnd to put down mid diiwourago what is evil, to mnko chourful at least, perhaps in somo oises ovon to m>tko brighter— tho lot of tlio human kind to rnlievo labour of the more urorioui and agonising of its cares; toenablp the father to make- a rpas>nil) o provision for the health and comfort of his wifo mix] cliildron as well as of hiiniolf ; to take care when he risos in tlio morning to hit labor and when becomes homo from it at niu'ut his expectations shall not bo impaired by a hhiho of wrong, Tlioso tyre q msfions that are really important. Our political ideas and our politirnl arrnngcmentH iniHt all, bo deoidod by tho genera! opinion of n)Btikin(i v nnd' by miotltor y*t loftier n ml more nutlioritire ju lt>m>'nt, and by t hoi r conformity to 'he principle* oljistice and rirtuc, and by thoir leniency to promote the truo national happiueis of tlio pcoulc as well os of tho country nt largo. This j« a politienl creed which I feel it in open to t»e to propound among you, nnd in t'lo propounding of whioh X tWI certain of a universal sympathy. It carries m far aboro and far beyond tho minor and petty, though yet neoesß»ry questions which nro connected with politics on party oruanisations— »it lifts our aims by directing thorn to tho truo purposo of human society j and if I can come from Irrland or go from Ireland with the sligliledt tincture of satisfaction it is because I am firm in the conviction that these principles uro beginning to bo truly umlci'Ktnnd and aro beginning to be oarried out hero, I have now said to you perhaps more than I should havo at* tempted to say, but I hope with frank* ness—indeod I am euro with frnnknes (applause)— and I hope in no minner to i clio the profession I have mndo of ray deep gratitude for your kindness (hear, hear). I will close by saying that in like manner an for Ireland in its capacity of a country so for Dublin us a great metropolitan city nnd for tho authorities of Dublin I hoartily with welfare, prosperity, and that happiness which is fnuudeil upon a constant and honorahlo dischargo of a publio duty, (loud applause).