MR. BUTT ON HOME RULE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume I, Issue 8, 21 June 1873, Page 11

MR. BUTT ON HOME RULE.

At the Birmingham Home Eule conference, Mr. Butt, M. P., was received with prolonged cheeis. lie said he believed, they had succeeded in welding together into one harmonious mass the wholepoliticalstrength of the Irish element in every English constituency. He had been asked that day by a local journal to state clearly and distinctly what was the Home Rule which Ireland was seeking, and he would not Bhrink from die question. He spoke not on his own authority, but on the authority of the united voices, not only of all the Irish people, but of .ill Irishmen scattered throughout England, who by their delegates that clay gave their unanimous assent to the principles of the Home Rule Association in Dublin. Thpy were not asking separation trom England, though lie could Hot, ueny that there were Irishmen who had ■wished for separation ; but they had been driven to it from a belief that it was impossible to obtain redress otherwise. (Applause.) Remove that belief, and the desire of separation was gone. He believed it was the true interest of Ireland to bo united to England, and that was the principle on which they had started; but he alsa believed that if separation was to be averted, and averted he trusted in God it would bo, it could onl^ be hy a concession to Ireland of the right to manage her own affairs? 'Jhey did not wish to escape from thu authoiity of the Brili&h Government. What they asked was this — that they should have a Parliament in Ireland. (Cheers.) He nppealed 1o all Englishmen who loved liberty, who had sympathies with it in every nation in the woild except in Ireland, (cheers) — lie asked then) to tell him if that was not a fair demand for n great people to make ? Was not this very tiling existing in the British Empire at the present moment ? He referred to Australia and Canada, and said, if they asked.hnn what he wanted, his answer was that he wanted a Parliament for Ireland which should have as much control over Ireland us the Australian Parliament had over Australia, or the Capndian Parliament over Canada. Was it a fair answer to this to talk about Wales sukl Scotland ? Let Wales and Scotland have their Parliaments if they needed them. Mr. Butt went on to complain that he hud not been dealt with fair.y by the English press- The Times had said that he dare not propose his scheme to an assembly of his countrymen. They said, " You mean separation, and you must, moan separation." Would they say so now ? He said ugain that, if in the far-off futuic separation was to be, the fault would lie with fche English statesman, who had neglected the golden opportunity of moulding the three nations into one confederation. (Cheers.) He held no craven language. lie wa« an Irishman. His first allegiance was to hie country, and he said that they could only have union wilh England on the terms of England doing them full justice. Parliamentary Government was the essence of the British Constitution. The whole system of Irish Government was framed designedly to thwart Irish opinion and todestioy Irish freedom. They had not Parliamentary Government under the union. Ireland was not asking for separation. Ireland offered to England a federation for herself— the right to manage her own affairs. She did not ask for the control of Imperial affaire. He hoped no one would deny that this was a genuine attempt to settle the contro\eroy, and that they were iv earnest in ottering it. He urged his hearers to do all they could by persuasion, by conversation with their fellow workmen, who, he was sure, were not opposed to the

lust claims of his country. There was no need for menace ; ther c wae no need for violence. Let them translate their cheers int° patient and watchful action when they left that room ; let every man who Had not a vote acquire one, and let him use it when the time came to return men who would do justice to his country. If his voice had any influence, he would tell the Liberal party that the Irish electors would no longer be hewers of wood and drawers of water if they retused them their just rights. This was the meaning of the confederation that day. If they were to go with Liberals Liberals must go with them, and if not they would take their own course and think ot their country, (Applause.) Were they joined with him in bearing a message of peace to the English nation ? Were they ready to be united in its terms ? Were they ready to tell the English people that it they gave this Federal arrangement fairly and honestly they would be their fast and stedfast friends in weal or woe ? (The whole'meeting answered "Yes !" to these questions.) Mr Butt said he hoped it would never be said again that he dare not put this question to a rneetm* of Ms countrymen. (Applause.) Time and they would triumph. -The Irish nation was not destined by God, with all its high traditions, its gJonous recollections, to be trampled upon. The day would come when Ireland would vindicate her freedom, and it remained with them by helping m the movement they had inaugurated, to hasten that day. (Cheers.) '