ULSTER AND HOME RULE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 144328, 17 February 1914, Page 7

ULSTER AND HOME RULE.

PROTESTANT SUPPORTERS IN ULSTER. Writing in tho Auckland Star, “Justitia” says; Readers would judge from the tenor of the cablegrams persistently sent day after day that Ulster, led by Sir E. Carson, was not only unanimous in opposition to Home Rule, but was virtually an armed camp clamouring to let slip the dogs of war against their “implacable enemies” —otherwise their fel-low-countrymen. Tho Times, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, Irish Times (Dublin), Spectator, and last, but not least, the Globe, are quoted with monotonous reiteration, recording war, sanguinary war, by a mere handful of reactionaries in the north-east corner of Ireland, led by two lawyers—Carson and Smith—both resident in England, neither of whom ever lived in ulster nor owned a rood of land nor a stick of property there. There is one phase of the Irish question which tho cableman consistently eschews, that is, tho Nationalist and Liberal side of it. A groat meeting of Ulster Protestant Liberals was held in Ulster in the last week of last October, about which tho cable was dumb. Tho Rt. Hon. R. G. Glendinning, Privy Councillor, wrote to the meeting and said; “I hope you will protest strongly against a policy which can, and will, do nothing but bring contempt on Lllsler.” Mr. John M’Mnster, K.C., moved and Mr. Robert Carson seconded the following resolutions: (1) “That this mooting of Protestant inhabitants of Eallymoncy and The Route protests against the claim of Sir Edward Carson and the self-constituted provisional government of Ulster to represent the Protestant community of North-east Ulster in tho policy they have announced of lawless resistance to the will of tho Parliament of Great Britain and Ireland, and further hereby pledges itself to offer such opposition as the law permits or enjoins to the arbitrary decrees of an illegal and entirely nonreprescntativo body.” (2) “That this meeting disputes the narrow claim that differences of creed necessarily separata Irish men and women into hostile camps, affirms its belief that joint public service is the best means of allaying dissension and promoting patriotism, and calls upon nis Majesty’s Government to pursue tho policy of bringing all Irishmen together in one common field of national effort.”

Captain White, D. 5.0., son of Sir Gcorgo White, of Ladysmith fame, spoke in support of tho resolutions, and said: “I protest against the falsification of history, which was the inspiring spirit of Carsonism. When would Ulstermen understand that this question of Homo Rule was not a question of religion, but of human rights? They were in a great crisis in tho history of their country, but they were in a still greater crisis so far as Protestantism was concerned. When tho Carsonitcs said to them there was only room for one kind of Protestantism, lot them -reply, ‘Then put your kind out.’ Lot them put out the firo of bigotry and smoko tho pipe of peace. A series of ameliorative measures had been passed, and those measures, with one exception, had been greeted with the same chorus of ‘No surrender!’ nonsense by the same party which was now opposing Home Rule. Tho Land Acts were the outcome of ceaseless agitation by the farmers of all Ireland to bo freemen, and not oxpollable serfs on tho land they cultivated by their own labour. In that fight North and South fought side by aide. Tho victory won, the Protestant farmers of Ulster were bidden to forget tboir allies. Let them listen if they liked, but when tho liberties which the North had gained by the help of the South were filched away, ono by one, 1 for one would rejoice that their meanness and ingratitude had been punished as they deserved. As a Protestant, 1 adroit it was tho leaders of tho Protestant section of tho people who were appealing now to tho bitterest memories of the past rather than admit tho ne<A and wisdom of a ground of union to heal thorn.”

Mrs. Alice Stopfprd Green, the gifted historian. followed Captain White, and said: '“Their Roman Catholic countrymen bad been denounced as an “alien race’ and as ‘our hereditary and implacable enemies,’ as ‘our ancient, most treacherous, deadly foes.’ ‘Those arch fiends of oppression,’ cried one. ‘how dare they talk of toleration and freedom I’ Congregations wore told that the Irish were making ready the stake and the faggot and the sword for Protestants. They wore warned to guard their women and children from the Irish. Models of vengeance were given from Jewish massacres of pagan aborigines in the dawn of history. This Protestant cry of fear and trembling was a slander upon thoir fellow-coun-trymen. Never had there been in Ireland a persecution for religion’s sake. Let them go round Down and Antrim, look at the new cottages and farms, look at the people settled in security, as owners of the soil, see the now prosperity, see the torrent of emigration checked and Irishmen staying in their own land. To whom did they owe this ? [t was tie Catholics of the South of Ireland who fought, and they had gathered the fruits of tho struggle. It was they who made the claims for the revision of rents, for relief of leaseholders which tho - North won in 1886. It was the South won tho Purchase Acts and the planting on tho soil of free proprietors. None had preached them the crimes of tho Irish. Let them be just, and remember tho battle tho South fought and tho profit that' they in tho North wore willing to reap.” Sir Rogor'Gasement, who next spoke, said: ‘‘Why were Ulstermen dulling and arming? Against whom are their arms directed? That was the question ho asked himself, and it was just -there ho could not go on with them. For the enemy they wore afraid of was no enemy at all—in very truth he was thoir own brother and the best friend they had in the world. Ho knew Catholic Ireland very well, and some of bis dearest friends were to bo found amongst Catholic Irishmen in the South and West. Catholic Ireland. Nationalist Ireland, desired no triumph over Ulster. They sought only the friendship, the goodwill, and, he believed, oven the leadership of Ulster.” Mr. Alex. Wilson, J.P. (Belfast), Mr, John Dinsmore, jun., and Mr. Wm. Macafoo, 8.L., also addressed tho mooting. The resolutions were carried with acclamation.

Then those present signed the following covenant, which was read aloud by Captain White:—“Being convinced in our own conscience that Homo Rule would not bo disastrous to the national well-being of Ulster, and that, moreover, the responsibility of ment would strengthen tho popular forces in other provinces, ana would pave the way to a civil and religious freedom which we do not now possess, and give scope for a spirit of citizenship. wo, whose names are underwritten, Irish citizens. Protestants, and loyal supporters of Irish nationality, relying under God on the proved good feeling with democratic instincts of our fellow-countrymen of other creeds, hereby pledge ourselves to stand by one another and our country in the •troublous days that are before va } -and

more especially to help one another when our liberties are threatened by any non-statutory body that may be set up in Ulster or elsewhere. We intend to abide by the just laws of the lawful Parliament of Ireland until such time as it may prove itself hostile to democracy. In ■ such confidence that God will stand by those who stand by the people, irrespective of class or creed, we hereunto subscribe our names.”

Of this meeting, important because of those who addressed it, and tho sentiments emanating from them, we are left by the cablegram in absolute ignorance. Believe me, the rumpus of which tho cablegram so assiduously writes is an artificial creation of English Tory money from the pockets of the Dukes and Lords. The parades are engineered by a designing political clique, and the people aro not at the back of it in Ulster. The meeting above referred to is ample proof thereof.