AN APPEAL TO THE IRISH PEOPLE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIV, Issue 33, 18 December 1896, Page 29

AN APPEAL TO THE IRISH PEOPLE.

SUPPORT FOR THE IRISH PARTY. MANIFESTO FROM MR. JOHN DILLON.

Mu. John Dillon, M.P., chairman of the Irish Parliamentary Party, has issued an appeal to the Irish race, in the course of which he aays :—: — The last act of the Convention was to pass unanimously, on the motion of the Most Rev. Dr. O'Donnell, the Bishop of Raphoe. the following resolution : lt That this Convention, representing the Irish people, pledges its financial support to the Irish Party, and calls upon them to make an appeal for such support to the people in the course of the present autumn." In accordance with that mandate, and on behalf of the Irish Party, I now appeal to Irish Nationalists, both in Ireland and out of Ireland, to carry into effect the pledge of the Convention. It is unnecessary for me to give reasons to the Irish race in favour of supplying the Irish Party with material resources. Xo Party in the world has ever been able to carry on a political movement without adequate financial resources. In the case of the Irish National Party an honest effort has been made to return to the Imperial Parliament a body of men who would truly represent the people of the country, and not. as in the past, landlords and propertied classes. By the action of a united Party — springing from the people and supported by the people, and directed and really responsible to the people — Parliamentary representation has been, for the first time sine? the Union, made a reality for the Irish people. And by the action of that Party in the House of Commons — in harmony with, and truly reflecting the popular will of. Ireland — the interests of the people have been persistently advocated, great concessions have been extorted from an unsympathetic Legislature, and the National cause has been substantially advanced. Much, however, remains to be done, and the work ot the Irish Party — interrupted and obstructed as it has been by the unhappy events of the last few years — can only be carried forward successfully by an emphatic declaration from the country itself that it is resolved to maintain an Irish Parliamentary Party, absolutely independent of all English Parties, united amongst themselves, always ready to act loyally together, inside or outside the House of Commons, when the interests of Ireland are at stake, and to supply such a Party with the funds which are essential to enable it to do the work which the country has entrusted to it. Without the support of the country an Irish Party can do little for Ireland in Parliament. Earnestly backed up by the support of a united country it would be difficult to put a limit to its power for good. It is in order to give the Party a fair chance of carrying on the work of Ireland in Parliament that I now appeal to every Irish Nationalist who believes in the necessity of maintaining a united Party to aid in raising the funds, without which it would be impossible for it to carry on its work. f All funds contributed in response to this appeal will be held 'at the disposal of the Irish Party, to be used for the expenses of the Party and of the movement during the corning year, in accordance with such regulations as may be laid down by the Party at its next sessional meeting. Remittances for the fund and communications in connection therewith should be addressed to Messrs. J. F. X. OBrien, Samuel Young, Thomas Curran (treasurers of the Irish Party), at 24 Rutland Square, Dublin.