The Irish Delegates.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6704, 18 November 1889, Page 3

The Irish Delegates.

THE SPEECHES AT WELLINGTON. [feom ouk special correspondent.] WELLINGTON, Nov. 16. The Home Kulo meeting of last night, Mr Dillon han, I understand, declared to be one of the most successful be has seen in his Australasian experience. It was certainly, as 1 can .testify, a very full and I vory einhu-mistv meeting. The notable ! feature vtan, of course, MR. DILLON'S SI'EECU, which was in every way a masterful preEontment; of tbo case for Home Kale. A musical, clear tenor voice, pitched rather low, and a calm demeanour characterised the opening. There was fluency without gHbness, a pause here and there notifying the process of extempore construction. Gradually it became evident that we were listening to a man o£ intense nature, very earnest, and much, accustomed to the \ik& of words. Facts and figures passed before us in interesting review, and presently the voice rose to the whole extent of its great power, ringing out clear us a trumpet, and well sustained through long passages of splendid eloquence. After The tumult of cheers the voice died down again, the light in the eyes ceased to blaze, the vigorous play of gesture was at rest, and the erect defiance of the noble head was exchanged for a droop. Again came the storm, and after it the calm once more. And so the speech went on rto its close, in alternations of tone now vehement in. denunciation, bow touched with pathos, anon sparklingTrith. humour j but throughout its whole course it was intensely earnest. In matter it was a concentrated essence of argument, displaying the outlines of the whole cf the great question with marvellous force in the hour which it occupied, presenting an array of telling facts, accompanied by telling periods ; business-like and.ealm in the story of the facts strenuous and vigorous in the eloquence they led up to. Many who are not Irish learned, more about the Irish question in that hour of eloquence than they had deemed possible in their whole lives. SIR T. ESMONDE, who followed Mr Dillon, is a methodical business-like-speaker, also-much in earnest, but without the power of his chief. MR DEABT, who follovred Sir Thoma3, is the most fluent of the three; one who iß more apt to be run away with, at times by liia words I should imagine, rather from the length to which his remarks carried him than from anything lie 6aid. His voice is of the baritone quality, slightly rough— a capital voice for speaking, being untiring. He, too, ia earnest in every word. To-day Mr Dillon and.Mr Deasy were at K ST PATRICK^ COLLEGE, where the boys presented them with a donation (.£3O) for the Evicted Tenants' fund. Th«y arranged a cordial reception, their band afrthe entrance welcoming the visitors with Irish airs; their stringed orchestra opening the little concertin the etudyiaE-wnerethepreaentationwaßinade, with another national selection, the choir following, with a third address and ;the presentation. MrDillonmadeaepeechof grea&eloquenceand power on the subject of the national music of Iroland. All, he said,. admired the beautiful, touching airs, 'but none could Appreciate them as Irish.men well versed in the history of their country, who know the particular circumstances under which their forefathers composed the music they had bequeathed to them as one of their most valued possessions. There was one air in particular hereferredio called " The Flight of the Wild Geese," composed during one of tho-periodajjx which, so many thousands of Irishmen had Bhed their blood in foreign services on foreign soil, rather than bare the neck to the yoke of the conqueror. . " I declare," he said, " that in the notes o£-that music I always- hear the wail of the nation at the losaof her best andbrarest sons/' The burafcof eloquence that followed will long be remembered by those who heardit Many had, found their way to<the CdJlege, of whom, few had dry ■eyes, at its close. When, the burst was )over, Mr Dillon apologised for hi» 'vehemence, .and laid the blame on tha mnsior -whereafrifefaare was a-genazaUaagh, '•in.^jbioli -JtxJto&hra joined with, great