MR. DAVITT AT KILKEE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 24, 12 October 1883, Page 27

MR. DAVITT AT KILKEE.

The correspondent of the Dublin Freeman, telegraphing from Limerick on Sunday evening, August 5, says :—: — A great demonstration took place this evening at Kilkee, county Clare. A monster procession, accompanied by a band and country folk, nocked into Kilkee, and an immense crowd of people assembled at Walshe's Hotel, where Mr. Michael Davitt has been staying for the last three or four days. After repeated calls Mr. Davitt appeared on the balcony, and was greeted with cheeriDg. He said he was deeply thankful to the people who assembled in such large numbers to give him what he might call a very hearty reception ; but he should 6ay they would have consulted their own interests and his by staying at home. He had considered when coming there that Kilkee was a very quiet place and that into it would never enter the nois3 of the political world, and that nothing would be heard in the locality of his advent there. However, he saw in that assemblage an outcome of that spirit which distinguished Clare in the land movement. While travelling through the country from Dublin it Ind been a subject of great pleasure and satisfaction to him that the indomitable spirit which the Land League had called forth was still living in Ireland (cheers). Eighteen months # ago the present Government of Mr. Gladstone was in a very strong position, but it was, however, today reduced to such a condition of weakness that it could not protect the^fe of one of the vilest instruments it had used in the governing of iMd (cheers). Eighteen months ago Forster was the strongest man --iirtreland. Where was he now ? (Cheers.) He was a disgraced and fallen statesman, while the man whom he had cast into prison, and charged with the inciting to crime never thought of, was to day, as ever, an idol of the Irish people, and was about to receive a magnificent tribute from the Irish people for his sterling patriotism and efforts for native land (cheers). He found that in Limerick, Tipperary, and here in Clare, the people were preparing for their great struggle which would ultimately end not only in the removal of Jrish landlordism, but also in the gaining of the legislative independence of the country (cheers). He found the intelligent manhood of the country declaring that they would return honest members of Parlia mpnt, and not backstairs diplomatists like some of the members for Clare County (groans for Captain O'Shea). They all could not go to Parliament. They should remain at home, but they could do their duty. They could speak their feelings manfully, determinedly, but at the same time with calmness and judgment. He asked them to take a lesson from the failures of the past to guide their exertions in the future (cheers), and they would soon see the removal of not only landlordism from the country, but enjoy the privilege of seeing an Irish Parliament in College-green (cheers). He thanked them for the honour paid him in coming there, and he requested them to go back to their homes with this resolution, that they would unanimously perform their duties to the national cause in future (cheers). He assured them that the ends for which they had so long struggled would be achieved (loud cheers). Mr. Davitt then withdrew.