THE IRISH NATIONAL CONVENTION

New Zealand Tablet, 13 June 1912, Page 11

THE IRISH NATIONAL CONVENTION

UNANIMOUS ACCEPTANCE OF HOME RULE BILL '■-• ' '* ■ •' •'' ■>■■■"

HISTORIC GATHERING IN DUBLIN

The Irish National Convention called to consider the Home Rule Bill was held on April 23 in Dublin. The gathering, which was the largest in the history of such conventions, took place in the spacious Round Room of the Mansion House. The hall was packed to its utmost capacity, and those who were not able to obtain admission were accommodated in a big room adjoining, and were addressed in the course of the afternoon by Mr. John Redmond, M.P., and other members of the Irish Parliamentary Party. The delegates numbered about- 5000. They had come together from all parts of Ireland, and manifested great enthusiasm in favor of the Bill. A resolution accepting it was carried without dissent, and it was left to Mr. Redmond and his Parliamentary colleagues to deal with any amendments which may be thought necessary. At a quarter past 11 there was a tremendous scene of enthusiasm as Mr. Redmond, followed by Mr. Dillon and Mr. T. P. O'Connor, walked up the floor from the Oak Room door. The delegates all rose to their feet, waving hats and handkerchiefs, and roared themselves hoarse. Mr. Redmond immediately sat down in his chair, and promptly rose to try and restore order. The entrance of Mr. W. Gladstone was the signal of a special cheer, and when he reached the dais Mr. Redmond called for ' Three cheers for the grandson of Mr. Gladstone,' which was responded to with great vigor, vehemence, and enthusiasm. At this moment Alderman O'Shea, the new Lord Mayor of Cork, appeared on the platform, and had a great reception.. Mr. Devlin had a thunderous one. Mr. Redmond called on Father Cannon and Mr. Devlin, who were sitting at each side of him, to act as secretaries to the Convention.

Father Cannon then got up and read a statement to the effect that the Bill provided not only for the present, but for the future. The hour had come to secure Ireland's rights. There was? considerable applause when he read the telegram from Mr. Patrick Egan that in no way, did the Irish Daily Independent American messages represent Irish Nationalist-opinion. THE IRISH LEADER'S SPEECH. Almost dead silence prevailed when Mr. Redmond moved a resolution that the Convention place on record its profound regret at the loss of the Titanic. The whole Convention, at Mr. Redmond's request, rose to their feet as a tribute to the dead. He then announced the procedure that would be observed, after which he began the main burden of his speech. The Bill, he declared, was a complete justification of the policy pursued by the Irish Party for the last three years against unparalleled opposition. The Bill, he declared, was the greatest and most satisfactory Bill ever offered to Ireland. The Irish Parliament would have the control of every purely Irish affair, with certain exceptions, and will have the power to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of Ireland. Amid great applause, Mr. Redmond contrasted this state of affairs with the blood-stained annals of the past, and went on to describe the great powers that were to be conferred. There were matters excluded which they did not ask for and did not want. His references to •the clauses in regard to religion were heartily received. He thought the restrictions in regard to this matter unnecessary and somewhat humiliating, but in the name of the Convention he accented the safeguards, even if there were only a dozen men in Ireland who thought them necessary. He proceeded to analvse the other temporary reservations, such as the police, the Old Age Pensions, Land Purchase, and his statement of the position in regard to all these matters was likened to with the very closest attention. Under the Bill, he went on to say, Ireland got immediate control of most of the Irish services, and after a time of all Irish services. Personally he believed, from his reading of history and knowledge of the colonies, in, a nominated

Senate, such as that provided for in the Bill, He wanted that Second Chamber to be crowded by men who had hitherto no sympathy with the National Party, men who had a great stake in the country, men of literature and art, men who had stood aloof from the National movement during all these years. He would, if he were responsible, put a majority of them into the Senate. No delegate objected to this view. Mr. Redmond then went on to deal with the financial clauses of the Bill, and his statement was listened to with close attention. He deplored the fact that Ireland was to draw a million and a-half at first from the Imperial Treasury, although she was well entitled to it owing to years of over-taxation, for Ireland desired to stand on her own legs; but in a short time that condition of affairs would disappear with the increasing prosperity of the country. He* was glad, he said, that under the Bill Ireland should still have her share in governing the Empire. Then, he went on, this is not a perfect Bill, but it'is a great Bill. Every Bill was open to amendment, and the amendment of this Bill would arise on the next resolution. He made an appeal that amendments that might lead to the wrecking of the Bill should not be unnecessarily pressed against the opinions of the men who were responsible for the Bill. There was tremendous applause when he added, ' I have accepted this Bill.' Then he asked the delegates to endorse his words, and the whole - assemblage rose to their feet and cheered and waved hats and handkerchiefs for three or four minutes. He immediately afterwards said, I ask you to say that I spoke not only for the Irish Party, but that I spoke for the Irish people.' Here again there was even a greater demonstration, which made the Round Room shake. There has scarcely ever been anything like it before in Ireland. The Lord Mayor of Cork then proposed the resolution accepting the Bill, and the motion was carried in the same spirit. But the most exciting and stirring episode was just at hand. Mr. Redmond got up and quietly introduced to the Convention The Grandson of Mr. Gladstone.' A young gentleman, slim, straight, with dark hair, a flashing eye, an eagle nose not unlike that of the Grand Old Man, stepped on the platform. When he appeared the scene was indescribable, and one could almost imagine, that the spirit of the great Liberal leader was hovering in the air. Young Mr. Gladstone was evidently surprised and touched at the tremendous enthusiasm of his welcome. He paid it well back with a speech which delighted the delegates, who, when he finished, rose and hailed him again with loud acclamations. Canon Arthur Ryan (Tipperary) then proposed that the necessary amendments to the Bill should be left to Mr. Redmond and the Irish Party to move in Committee, paying a great tribute to Mr. Redmond's leadership. Some of the points which he made against the opponents of the Bill created considerable amusement. A Non-Catholic Rector. The resolution was seconded, amidst great and prolonged applause, by the Rev. Mr. McCutcheon, the Protestant Rector of Kenmare a venerable old gentleman, with white hair and beard, who said that he never experienced so unanimous a decision as had been given there to-day. What we want in this country,' he declared amidst applause, 'is that we should stand together,' and he went on to say that when Home Rule was adopted he believed the Unionists of the North would be as staunch in its support as they were in that room. He finished by asking the delegates to stand up to show that they trusted Mr. Redmond and the Parliamentary Party to see that the necessary amendments were carried. All the delegates stood up cheering. , • . , Mr Redmond then asked for a list of the delegates who wished to speak, but "said that before he took it he would call on

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, who made an admirable speech, which was much appreciated by the Convention. His argument in favor of leaving details to the Party was obviously highly approved of, and he finished with a very fine peroration, which was loudly applauded, especially when he added that he took it on himself to declare the resolution carried.

The next speaker was Mr. T. M. Kettle, who said that when this Bill passed Ireland would be able to take her place in the humane traditions of Europe. So far as amendments were concerned, he would not move any there, but would submit a private memorandum to the Parliamentary Party. This statement was received with applause.

Canon Murphy, of Macroom, was the next speaker, and his views fell in entirely with those of the Convention. ':,

By this time it was generally regarded that the Convention was practically over. Yet the delegates remained to listen to the various speakers. And they listened with close attention to them all. It was the most orderly and most : businesslike Convention ever held in Dublin.

Mr. Devlin rose at : a little before half-past ; 1, receiving a rousing reception. This, he said, was a proud day for the Irish Party. He declared that the party had to go through many difficulties and much gloom, but that they had never lost or forfeited , the confidence of the Irish people, and. they had emerged triumphantly from all the prophecies of the prophets. There were newspaper and other critics who said that the financial clauses of the Bill were not satisfactory. Parnell accepted a Bill under which Ireland had to pay £2,000,000 a year to the Imperial Government. Under this Bill she had not to pay anything. On the contrary, she received nearly that sum for the present 1 from the Imperial Treasury. But, said the orator, in a fine passage, which was rapturously applauded, ' We are for Freedom first and finance afterwards; we are not huxters or brokers out for a commercial deal.' -

Mr. T. P. O'Connor, who received a fine reception, made play, which delighted the delegates, about batons and pass-words, and rose then to a state of great enthusiasm when, with his hand uplifted, he said, ' Summer is comingsummer is coming in Ireland He mentioned that he and Mr. Dillon had just been addressing a great overflow meeting. In the Round Room the delegates had heard the cheers outside, but had no means of knowing what they were about.

Mr. O'Connor's references to the ' sham extreme men ' who have been sending messages across the Atlantic,, were warmly approved". Why is not faction here to-day he thundered, with his arms raised;.' why does it not come before the Irish nation, as represented here by 5000 men V The splendid and passionate outburst had a great effect on the Convention. Not a voice was raised on behalf of the protesting patriots. T. P. has scarcely ever been heard in such magnificent effect. Mr. John Dillon, who got a great reception, followed, and dwelt on the hopes of the Times and other Unionist papers in England, and certain papers in Ireland that the Convention would reject or emasculate the Bill. He called on the representatives 'of those Irish papers to-day to tell the truth for once in their lives. The Irish. Party were challenged to meet the Convention. Well, they had met it, and when the resolution accepting the Bill was put there was not one dissentient voice. He appealed to the delegates to see that, the Parliamentary Party was not stabbed in the back. Mr. Dillon went on to pay a warm tribute : to Mr. Asquith, Mr. Birrell, and the other Ministers who had to do with the Bill. They had met the Irish Party not only in a fair, but in a generous spirit. He believed that the Government, was genuinely anxious to close the quarrel with Ireland, and appealed to the delegates, in regard to the financial provisions, to remember that it had .to consider the prejudices of the English people. Some of the alternative financial schemes proposed would ■. bankrupt the country. .- - :. ''.'■..: ~"- Then, at half-past 2, came Mr. JohnO'Callaghan, the National Secretary of the United Irish League of

America, who got a splendid welcome. He described Mr. Redmond as not only the leader of the Ireland at home, but also as leader of the Irish on the other side of the Atlantic. In regard to the protesting message from America, he said not to pay any attention to this fly on the wheel of progress. Let the protesters try in any American city to call a meeting such as this of the Irish, and let them get their answer. They appeared to be anxious for a beating, but they never went where they would get it. If the test of finance from America was to be applied in regard to the remnant of this' Home Rule fight, he said, turning to the chairman, Mr. Redmond need not fear the test,' a statement which was loudly applauded. Mr. O'Callaghan's speech was a memorable success.

He was followed by Mr. William Redmond, who got a very hearty reception, the Round Room being still packed, and the delegates still anxious to listen to the speeches. Mr. Redmond stirred the Convention deeply in a powerful and most eloquent passage, in which he described the 26 years of anxious days and nights since the rejection of the Home Rule Bill of 1886. But the cause could not be lost now, except by some blunder of our own. He touched the delegates also in a fine passage about the men of '9B, '4B, and '67, whose sacrifices prepared for this great day for Ireland. He wound up by asking the Convention to strenuously appeal to the men of the North to join with their brothers, all children of the same soil, in making Ireland free and contented, a suggestion which was heartily received by the whole Convention, which, when Mr. Redmond finished, cheered enthusiastically. Mr. Pierce O'Mahony followed in a very practical speech, and then Mr. Bradley, a North of England delegate, a veteran in the cause. Monsignor Glynn then proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Redmond, which was seconded by Mr. Harford, Leader of the Irish Brigade in Liverpool. Both speakers highly eulogised the Leader for his great services to the cause.

Mr. Redmond, in reply, simply said, addressing the delegates—' From the bottom of my heart I thank you.' Immediately the immense throng, by one impulse, burst into the chorus of ' God save Ireland,' which was splendidly sung twice, amidst a scene of tremendous enthusiasm.