ROME RULE FOR IRELAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7646, 25 May 1886, Page 6

ROME RULE FOR IRELAND.

MEETING IN ST. JAMES' HALL. Last night a meeting was held in St. James' Hall of those favourable to the granting of Home Rule to Ireland, and to consider and forward.® cablegram of thanks and congratulation to the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone. There was a full attendance, the hall being filled to its utmost capacity. The proceedings were of a very enthusiastic character. A portrait of Mr. W. E. Gladstone was placed in front of the chairman's table, and i.a appearance was the signal for loud and continued cheers. Mr. Martin Danaheb, one of the conveners of the meeting, who was received with vigorous cheering, said during many years ha had enjoyed Homo Rule in the Australian colonies, and if it was his lt i to return home surely he should enjoy the same rights and privileges he had hero. (Cheers.) He wished it to be clearly understood that he was a loyal subject to any existing crown that was just, that was opt cruel, and that cared for the people it governed. (Loud cheers.) He was ready to support the cause of truth, righteousness, and justice, but no consideration or law would induce him to support a cause which he did not believe to be just, and for the prosperity of the people. He would then have to bo known then as a rebel against such laws. (Cheers,) He rejoiced to be connected with a land like Ireland, whose people only asked for "what they in the Australian colonies enjoyed already, and who had been so miserably traduced by the cruel set of people called Irish landlords. (Loud cheers.) They were not going to remain quiet when such things continued. That meeting was called to express sympathy with the cause of the Irish people, a meeting composed of all nationalities. He proposed that Mr. G. M. ReeS be appointed chairman, and in doing so alluded to the good done to Ireland by Irish Presbyterians, some of whom had even laid down their lives for the good of the country.

Mr. Leahy seconded the motion, and Mr. Reed was voted to the chair amid loud and prolonged cheers. The Chairman thanked the meeting for the high honour conferred upon him, and expressed the pride he felt in presiding on such an occasion when they met to unite in Bending their cordial thanks to the noble English statesman who, at the cost of great sacrifice to himself and the severance of many ties, had come boldly forward to redress the wrongs of their suffering country. (Loud cheers.) He was there that night as a North of Ireland Presbyterian (cheers) and for that he felt he needed no apology, or for saying that he loved his country. He was perfectly sure that Ireland would never be peaceful or happy until she enjoyed the right of all free people to govern themselves. (Cheers.) He was aware that there were those who would call this a disloyal movement, but if it were he should not be there that night. (Cheers.) But he was convinced that this meeting was thoroughly loyal and constitutional. (Cheers.) There were also those who said that the people of the JSorth of Ireland were opposed to this movement, but he had recently travelled in the North of Irelaud, and pretty fully sounded the opinions of the people there, and he was convinced that the charge was an untrue one. They might not all agree as to Home Rule, bat the tenant farmers in the North of Irelands were united in these sentiments that there should be redress for the wrongs of tenants in Ireland, and, when they came to have the proposals of Mr. Gladstone submitted to them, he believed that throughout Ireland there would be a unanimous demand for Home Rule. (Cheers.) The North of Ireland had already spoken on the question. Out of thirty-three members seventeen had spoken for and sixteen against it, and at the next election be was convinced that there would be only one voice from the whole of Ireland. (Cheers.) He then read letters regretting inability to attend the meeting from Dr. Krson of Otahuhu, the Rov. Mr. McKinney, Presbyterian Minister of Mahurangi. [The letter of the latter gentleman, which went somewhat fully into the question of Home Rule, and has already partly appeared in the Herald, was very warmly applauded | Mr. P. Glef.son- then moved, "That this meeting desires on this, the 67th anniversary of her birthday, to express sincere loyalty to Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria." That resolution he thought, would be received with more favour than any other of the evening. (Cheers.) He was sure Her Majesty had no more devoted subjects than his fellowcountrymen in these colonies. Here they possessed political rights which he sincerely hoped would be extended to their native land. (Cheers). In the present as well as in the past they had always retained the strongest attachment to Her Majesty the Queen, and it would be found that they were as loyal as any Englishman or Scotchman if any foreign power attempted to invade England. ( heers.) Mr. J. O'M eacher seconded the resolution. Thoso who heard the resolution read, might think it did not require to be soconded, and but little remained to be said on it. He repudiated the imputation of disloyalty, and said history would provo it to be the foulest of foul charges. He dwelt on the deeds of Irish soldiers in the Peninsular wars, and afterwards in the Crimea, at Alma and Inkormann, and said the fact that the confidence of the Euglish people was still reposed j in the Irish was shown by the numbers of Irish solders still in the ranks of the army. And if it was so when they were oppressed what would it be when they were once enabled to enjoy true freedom? He alluded to Lord Randolph Churchill, " the cocky little nobleman" who had tte audacity to say that if the Parliament of England carried Mr. Gladstone's Bill granting Home Rule, the men of Ulnter would be justified in resisting it by force. Such a statement smacked of high treason. He then moved the resolution, which waa received with loud and prolonged cheering, the audience rising to their feet and displaying the utmost enthusiasm. Mr. J. J. Chofts proposed, " That this meeting expresses its cordial thanks to the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone for his heroic efforts in the cause of Home Rule for Ireland, and its earnest hope that its effort may bo crowned with success." Mr. Gladstone, he said, had a tough job before him, but if ho could see the gentlemanly and ladylike faces present that evening, he would be encouraged in his work (Cheers and laughter.) The union had been tried for 86 years, and Mr. O'Meagher had described to them the loyalty and bravery of Irish soldiers during that time, but had not referred to the services of great men in other lines of work, as Flood, Grattan, O'Connell, and last of all Charles Stewart Parnell. (Loud cheers.) The fact was, Ireland was like a young lady whose matrimonial engagement had been drawn up by the registrar. (Cheers and laughter.) The marriage was effected, but poor Hibernia never got conjugal rights. (Laughter.) Now they had instituted a suit of divorce from that marriage. Mr. Gladstone was counsel for the plaintiff, the British Parliament was the judge, and he had not the slightest doubt that they would get a decree nisi with costs. (Cheers and laughter.) The landlords, who were the opposing counsel, referred to the plea of disintegration, ae to whioh he asked whether the famine and emigration which the country had endured was not disintegration with a vengeance. Lord Randolph Churchill would send a few sections of them to the freezing chamber in Manitoba for future generations to look at as petrified Irishmen. (Laughter.) In the course of a spirited and humorous address, the speaker alluded to the possibility of invasion, when those who had only property would be the first to help to defend the country, while those who only worked for landlords would run away to bury themselves in Mount Eden or elsewhere, and preserve their carcases for another occasion. (Laughter.) He was entirely opposed to separation, but they must have a fair division of profits in the future. Ireland would be better with England than "on her own hook," and England without Ireland would be "kind of lopsided like." But Ireland would stick to England until they got back some of the money they had sent there. When that was done there would be no more loyal subjects than the Irish. The speaker appealed for the support to the " Grand Old Man," and concluded his speech amid loud cheers. Mr. Robt. Bradley seconded the resolution in an effective speech, showing how loyal Irishmen in all parts of the world had remained to the mother country. Mr. Callen moved, as an amendment, "That their chief thanks should be sent to Mr. Parnell, to whom Mr. Gladstone's action was mainly due." The amendment was afterwards withdrawn, and the resolution carried amid loud cheers, and it was resolved, on the motion of Mr. G. Leahy, seconded by Mr. J. M. Grace, . * That ft cable message be immediately for*

warded to fttr. Gladstone embodying tho resolutions pnssed at the meeting. The proceedings closed with a voto of thanks to the chairman, and a collection to defray expenses.