The Irish Envoys in Sydney

New Zealand Tablet, 23 August 1906, Page 19

The Irish Envoys in Sydney

rhe Irish Envoys, Messrs. Joseph Devlin, M.P., and J. 1. Ujonovan, were publicly received by a great gather^ ing of citizens at the Town Hall, Sydney, on Friday meat, August 3. It totalled the mighty assemblage that welcomed Mr. \Y. Redmond some months aigo • it was tremendously enthusiastic, and widely representative. Lituens of all social ranks and grades, clergy ana laymen, men and women, weie seated on the platiorni, m the galleries, and in the body of the hall. A charge was made for admission to the platform and the reserved seats, but the body of the hall was free to any who sought entrance. When the two envoys entered the hall, escorted by a guard of honor, ami preceded by his Eminence Cardinal Moran and his Grace Archbishop Kelly, fhc crowd laiscd its voice in a ringing welcome. Cardinal Moran, as chairman, presented the two envoys—representatives vi Ihe Irish Party in Wie Imperial Pailiament— who, he said, were that evening the representatives of the whole Irish people, That meant much, tor the lush people weie an indomitable race and particularly indomitable in their zeal for' the cause of Ireland. He meant the whole Irish race, who, wherever placed, weie one in love, one in resolve that the days of sorrow and misiule shall cease in Ireland. He would, btfoie introducing the speakers, refer to the time when Gladstone introduced into Parliament "the gieat measure for the ■disestablishment of the Protestant Clnuch in Ireland. That, was in 186 S. A meeting of the representatives of Orange lodges was held. in Dublin, and a motion was passed stating that if the Bill weie passed the Act of Union would be torn to shreds, and not a vestige of its binding force would remain. To the great joy of the friends of honor and justice and libcity, the upas tree was cut <lo\vn. Were Irishmen not now entitled to take the word of their friends that the Act of Union was void, a-nd ~ nothing more than an empty name ? .„ 'As the Cardinal resumed his seat (says the ' Free-; man's Journal ') Mr. Devlin arose. In measured words, every syllable of which was an anvil-stroke, admirably modulated, Mr. Devlm began his speech. He paid fcis devoirs to the illustrious chairman as ' Ireland's greatest friend m this gieat Continent. 1 He paid a handsome tribute to the loyalty of the people of the Irish race ' bound to us by the magic and mystic ties of devotion to the cradle-land.' He did not intend to appeal to them on high sentimental grounds, but he believed that Ireland, which had done so much for Christian progress and civilisation, ' was intended by God for a great ui end than to be dragged at the chariot wheels of another country.' He came to discuss this question as if it affected any country, to analyse ttie story of lieland for the last hundred years. . Good government was no substitute for self-government. Every people would lather be governed badly by themselves than be ruled wisely by another people. But selfgovernment was wanted by Ireland, not as a substitute for good government by England, but as a substitute •or bad government in Ireland. Mr. Devlin told how the interests of Ireland were neglected by the 12 Hoards, which had built or improved 22 piers and harbors in 25 year*. The British Government had no money and no time for the Irish peasant, hut it spent millions on John Chinaman in South Africa.' In 20 years a do/en Loid Lieutenants and Under Secretaries had gone back to England converted to Home Rule. Ireland was the one. country in Europe at which the charge of religious intolerance was levelled, and its people wctc the most tolerant on Ihe face of the earth. Not one sipgle instance of an Irish Protestant being persecuted on account of Ms religion could be cited. With irresistible logic, and in language ctear, forcible, and dignified,, Mr. Devlin drove home his arguments for the Irish cause. Mr. Holman, as an Englishman, supported the cause of Home Rule, bearing testimony to the unprejudiced support he had received from the Irish voters of Cootamundra, despite the faci that his opponent was of Irish blood and the old faith. 'If the people of Australia" were ruled as Ireland is ruled we would' be in rebellion to-morrow,' declared Mr. Holman amid endorsing cheers. Mr. Donovan spoke clearly and forcibly of the cementing of interests between the hitherto misguided Orange democracy of Ulster and their National fellowcitizens. -^ i Mr. Devlin's speech occupied an hour and a half. The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Cardinal.