MR DAVITT'S VISIT TO AUSTRALIA.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXII, Issue 1, 3 May 1895, Page 23

MR DAVITT'S VISIT TO AUSTRALIA.

(Melbourne Advocate, April 13.) With one notable exception, there is not a living Irishman who baa rendered his country greater serTices than Michael Davitt has done. During many years he has suffered and worked for Ireland with unsurpassed constancy, courage, and ability, If all that he has either undertaken or accomplished in that cause were summed up, it would be found that his record is, at the least, equal to that of the foremoit of bis colleagues. He dared all for his native land when very many of the best of her sons believed, rightly or wrongly, that by daring mucb, they could free her from the English yoke. And when the desperate enterprise in which they engaged terminated in their discomfiture, his courage and his hopes survived the bitter consequences of failure. He met his fate as a brave man should wto had calcu. lated the odds and deliberately risked them. Short of torturing him to death, his gaolers resorted to «very cruel device for breaking down his spirit that a cunning malignity could suggest, and in a moral eenße he went unscathed through the terrible ordeal. He emerged from the English bastile a pbyeictl wreck, but unsubdued and unBullied, with bis faith as Btrong as ever in the coming redemption of his Dative land, and with his determination to aid in it as strong as ever. With his deliverance from Portland Gaol, what may be described as the first chapter in Mr Daviti's eventful life terminated. The face of Ireland, in a national sense, had undergone a great change during his captivity ; when he now renowed his acquaintance with the views of his countrymen he found that their hopes no longer rested on what might be accomplished by armed resistance to English domi. nion. On that point, but on no other, public opinion had very much altned. The doctrine tbat a nation's freedom should not be pur. chased at tbe sacrifice of life had made no he-idway, but the conviction had b°en reached that it could not be thus secured by Irishman the odds being too many against them. The way to liberty waa by other methods and Michael Davitt was quick to perceive that landlordism Bhould be successfully attacked before any great progress could be made in the new mode of warfare. Accordingly he set himself to tbat tatk, and in its performance exhihited an inventive genius such as had not before been employed in the agrarian troubles of any people, though troubles of the kind are as old as settled society itself. He became the father of the Lind League, and an engine more powerful than that organisation for resisting oppression and curbing cupidity had never before been employed. Mr Davitt was not the first Irishman to see that a vicious land system was at the bottom of the worst of Ireland's troubles, and that the cure of tbat blight would constitute a first and an important step towards the political regeneration of tbe country. But he it was who first convinced the Irish tenant farmers that, without resorting to unconstitutional or criminal proceedings, they could fight their extortionate landlords with a fair prospect of success, and who showed them how they were to conduct the great defensive campaign he had planned out for them. Others had previously impressed on the harassed tenants that without combination they could do nothing against the powerful landocracy which, with tbe supportof tbeQovernment, tyrannised over them, and robbed them, but Michael Davitt was really the first Iribhman who taught them how to so combine that they could not be conquered in de'ail. Sprung from the people, his sympathies were wurmly with the people, and his mother wit, painfully stimulated by tbe wrongs bia own family had endured at the handß of meicilefcß

Irish landlordism, succeeded in devising a scheme of resistance far more effective ibaa the most Itarned land reformer bad previously recommended, Aatute liwyeri had bestowed tnought au I time on tbe problem, and bad worked up in some instances agitations trom which great reßulta were an'icipated; but to the tenant farmers of Ireland Michael Davitt unquestionably rendered more service than any other man. His servicts to Ireland have not, however, been confined to tha land question. He baß constantly co-operated with the National party in their broader aims, and, as a candid, but friendly and boneet critic of their policy, he haa been one of its most useful members. Our coming visitor has also played an active part in English labour movements, and baa succeeded in convincing the woikmg classes of Great Britain that his sympathies are moßt earnestly wiih them in their efforts to emancipate themselves from the government of the classes, and to improve their own condition. He has cordially and usefully worked with them for the attainmtnt of these objee'e, and has so won their confidence and esteem as no Irishman, pitriotic as ho is, had ever before done. He is a reformer of broad sympathies, which embrace the working classes of nil nationß, and hence it is that the Trades' Hall Council has on these grounds resolved to give him a most cordial welcome. Mr Davitt does not come to Aus'ralia with any political object in view. The manager of this journal, Mr Joseph Winter, received, on the sth inst, a cable messaga from Mr Michael Davitt announcing that gentleman's intention to pay his long projected visit to Aastralia. The message was dated from London, 4th April, and Mr Davitt was to embark at once for Adelaide. The visit will be in no sense political. In a newspaper speculation Mr Davitt was a heavy loser, and he has also been pat to great expense in law costs, the result being that his position financially is not an altogether easy one There is a short way out of the difficulties bo occasioned, but he will not take it ; he prefers the harder and more honourable course. His object in visiting Australia is to carry out a lecturing tour, in which be will deal with several subjects of broad interest

and pressing importance at the present time. And as the lecturer in this case will be a gentleman who, as a public man, is regarded with uncommon interest, r.nd as a private iudividuil is much respected, and, in addition to that, is known to be a good speaker and a clear thinker, it may, we thit-k, be anticipated that the object of hia vißit will be very fully realia 'd. The irißb race thould not be insensible 1o the obligations under which their countrymen, who are devoting their time, talents, and energy to the national cause, have placed them. In the front rank of theße sons of Erin, who are keeping the flag flying, and are carrying it forward, stands Michael Davitt, and they are not true Irishmen who would not gather round him, and promote hia interests when the opportunity for doing go happily presents itself.