Home Rule For Ireland
b riday evenlng last witiiessea something unusnal lor this city, a meeting in which Knglisb. politics was the object of the gathering, given under the auspices of the Oladstone Club of' the IJniversity. The stage had been tustily decorated, the flag of Erin and the Stars and Stripes entwined, and underneath the shamrock. Picturesof Irish héroes adorned the walls, with Celtlc mottos, and the harp was tberc also, while beautiful plants and vlnes all went to make up a picture pleasing to the eyes of the audieuce; while for those upon the stage the sea of fiices n front of them, some 3,000 or 4,000 in number, was of itself an inspiring secne. Prof. Henry Wade Hogers was the iieslding oftlcer, a position hc Ulied with much grace and credit to hiinsclf. lic was a8sisted by an array of vice-presidents that containcd much of the dignity, honor and brains of the city and stute, in faot, seldom lias there ever been so catholic a gathering, so many pcople representing so many abades ot belief, and so various occtiputions, as was notad od the stage that evcning. Iu opening the meeting Prof. Hogers endorsed the policy of Mr. Uladstone and stated that the object of the gathering was to expresa gentiments in ïelation to the question now uppermost in tlie niinds of the liberty-loving people of the world, the Irish Question. He then introduced Ht'gent Clias. li. Whitman, of Ypsilanti, who said in effect: "Ireland presents to-day the awful spectacle of a land tlowing with milk and honey, peopled by a race that is tax-ridden and oppressed. In this crisis England's greatest statesman seeks to grant by legal methods what may otherwise be wrested by revolution. England is powerlcss against the united sentiment of the world, backed as slie is by annics and navies, bayonets and ships. The time has now come for bloodless revolution, and the whole human race is to-day coming to know better and better the law of the brotlierhood of man. Wliy should Ireland be governed by English laws, by the 24 eoereive acts which, in the past 80 years have stumped the English name wltli shame? Let there be Irish rule lor Ireland, as there is English rule for England. Gladstone may be defeated. II; may not be able this year to replam th' feud of centuries by feelings of amity, but his time will come, for he has tanght IrishmeD to know tiiat there are English hearts big enough to fcel and to appreciato Irish wrongs. The opi)onents of Irish rule should notcounton tbeohanoM of Oladstone's falling healtli. There ia a providence that will strengthen his aged arm. That whicli is right, that which is honest, will prevail in the end, when the fair vales of Erin shall be eled by tlie hotncs of a happy people." Rer. Fr. Chas, licilly, of Detroit, wis tben iutroduced to tlic iiiulieiicc, mul was received with prolonged applauae. He commenced by saying: "I am very tired this week with public spcaklng, and it sccms tliat I hare been able to tire m;my others. I will pat you at rest at once by saying that my speech will be short. The old University of Michigan was my alma mater, in the classics, and I am glad to returu to the MSOciation of ruy early life. Even thcn I feit for I rulan ds condition, and had pity for her wronga. I found Ireland a living thlng, a btinjí of flesh and bone, a grand and awful Ireland, not a dead fossil of the past. "Home rule for Ireland. What does it mean ? It means the right of Irishmen to own their own soil, and the right to govern the soil in the interests of Ireland. I believe in the preservation of the Irisli autonomy. That rueans tlie right to posse88 the soil, and the right to govern it. God gave Irishmen the soil of Ireland. They possessed the soil by patriarchal tenure, from the eradle of mankind. "Ireland alone of the nations of the earth refuse to receive the feudal tenure. Slie lias inaintained this with the greatest preseverance known in history. No wonder Ireland has been called the land of homeless millions." The speaker being fnformed at this juncture that the hack was in wattlng to take him to tlie train, cries of "go on," "go on," catue up from all parts of the room, lic continued: "I am going on - [long applause] - I am going on the 10 o'clock train." In speaking of the landlords he said, they were not all brutes, but they were driven to desperation by their debts, and in order to pay these debts they had to push the tenants until they could not pay the rents. He said Gladstone is the greatest premier England ever had, and to-day is the grandest man in the world. It will not dismay nor dishearten Irishmen to see the bilí defeated. GUdstone can ifford it, Ireland can afford it. We lmve waited 700 years for home rulo and we can wait a little longer. Home mie Ikis fíot to come ; like the sim, it has rtaobed the meridian and has got to cross. "I wisb I could be sure of my soui's t'utiirity as I am of home rule for Irelfknd." Rey. S. Earp, of this city then ofl'ered the following preamble and resolutions, as expressive ot the sense of the meeting; WHERIA9, The manifest unhap.lncss, destltution and mtsrule of Irelaml hit vc ior ven eratlODR moved the clvilized world tu seniliiMMitH of sympathy ; and, WiiKitKAS. The Rt. Hon. Wllllnra Kwart Gladsion! has lntroduced lnto the Iirltlsh parliameata meoHuro whlch gires promlse of a happier future for the Irisu people, by granttng to them Home Iiule; Kttolvrd, That we, citlzens of the State of Michigan In maas meeting naxembled, in Universlty Hall, In the cliy of Ann Arbor declare our admlration of Mr. GladatODe, ud (congratúlale hlm on the wlse and courageoux stand whlch be luis taken In tht xtriiggle of Ireland for self-government. Wetender hlm our sincere sympathy, and eurnestly wlsli hlm tlmely nnd complete trliimph. Betolvtd, That we congratúlate the Irlsh people upon thelr undylng love of country thefr admirable patlence, and determine.! perseverauce, as well as upon tne lntroduetlon lnto pari lamen t of a blll promlslng to the Irlsh natlon peace, proxperlty, and the rlghleousadmlnlstrallon of the laws, and to Ureat Brltaln and Ireland, by recognltlon ol tbeircoinmon Interest, mich enduring harmony and union as shall be halled wlth satis factlon by all nattoug. Myor Robison seoondcd the ndoption of tlie resolutions and tlie same was earried amidst great untlisiaBm. Prof. C. M. Gayley whs the iiext gpeaker, and liis words were au impnasioned appeal for old Ireland. He told ofjher wrongs, of her siifferin;s, liow her people were impoveri9lied ; how in some portions the people lived in hovels that would be iionored by the presence of a pig; how the yoiing men took the clothes f rom thelr back to cover the little babe; and the yonni; wouien hld in holes in the (round through the day so that tlieir illyclad fornis miirlit not be seen. He said Ireland's motto is "Erin go Bragh." I say: "Erin go bread and cheese, Krln go breeches and coats. Erin go shoex and stocklngs, Erin go statvsmi'ii." Next the speaker took up the home rule bilí and Mild: "Ulster threatens war. Washtenaw county threatens to take the whole United States. Be not afraid of Ulster." H8 speech was received wlth continuous applause. After muslc by the orchestra, Dr. S. A. Jones read a poem which had been v ritten for the occasion, and which is uounoci) olio ni ljnest protluctlons ut the evenng. It is aa follows: Potm comjxued fnr the Irith Home Rulé meeting in Univertity Hall, on Friday evening, June U O brave, true heart, the helm of State Was never in , nobler hand: Mny it thine to consúmate Au aim Eternal Justice plaoned. May England, through her Alfred's heart. Ht-r Arthur's naniinu v. Wis.lv disccrn the better párt And let her sparkling Emerald be The brightt st jewel in her Crown ; And Brío, amUiag tnrougti her te:irs, Forives the wrong that bowed her down In misery eight hundred years. O, England, Shakespeare's home ! be just- The Nations lovc thee in his name - Wc charga tliee by his precious dust And Allred's trutli, blot out thy shame. Kecount thy deeds on field and flood, (The glories that wc envy thee) And iay where was not Ireland's blood As water ireely spil led lor thee? O be not blind to all the worth That loring trust would makc all thine - Are tin v n.it nobler than than the Ourth Who led the Saxon Cedric's swine I Thcirs is the gilt of Eloquince, And Poeay, and mclllng Song: Hesven hath not itlntcd tln-m -nd thence Tluir death-defying sense ot wcoog. Htm would men spurn them did Ihey sit Patiënt, though sullen in the yoke, Lacking the manhood requisite To bide their time and deal the stroke I Old England, Motherland, be just, Wijc out eight centuries of shamc. Give Irel:tnd now the broadest trust Kecorded on the roll of Kanie. "The broadest ?" Ayc 1 The wron; is your. The centuries ol suiVerin.' - hers; - And her's the heait thal all endures And then foregoes the righleous curse. Make the last days of her who raigal With Iflory shine through all the years, And :tn;rfl Imsls will cease their stram-. Ama.ed at Albert's thankful tt-ars. Ann Akuor, Michigan, June 4. 18S6. Prof. A. Winchell tliouglit the hour wii8 too late to inüict upon the public a long speech, mul after iissenting to wha had been said, atul MMlUBff that there was but one sentiment in Michigan respecting the wrongs of the Iiish, and tha Mr. Gladstone might rest assured tha the sentiment of the world stood at his back, he pipiad with the idea 1 lint he was last upon the list. The chairman remarked that there was one more yet to eome, and iutroduced to the aadience Col. John Atkinson, of I)itroit. The Colonel was at his best, aiu beid the audience spell-bound for some tiinu. lic lelt very gratcl'ul lor the interest the American people were taking in the strujiK'e of the Irish for Home l!ul( and predicled its sure suecess In the near future. Alter tlie readin; of the followinjr dispatch to l'arnell, tlie meeting elosod: Ans Ahhok, Micii., June 4, 188t. To ParntU, llouie of Comntonx, LonUon: ProAwon and simii-nis of the Hlehtgan Hul versily, umi Ihree tliousjuid citiz.-n i Mie suitu ui Mlchlgun, In maan meeting aas.-ini.lr.i In Univerelty llnll, wltli Prof. Henry Wade Bosen In Uw duur, request me l expres throiih you to Mr. GladtftODe theirappreciutlun ot' htu titlbrts lo ml atnicably, mul ioruver, the A.Dglo-üeltio ooDfllot Lbat luis raed tlirouli WTM centurie, ly th intniIiii-iiom of his bilt for tlie lagUlallv ladapi-nihMice Of Irchind. Ttiey ulso dèstra me to cuiiKi'atuliite you on tlio lieroic devotiou dlsphiyml by youraelf umi your usoolates to the oanae of your uountry, aad to exprew their admtratlOB of yuir tinüring elïbrts in behalf oi luim in Uliuiiy. JiiiiN J. KiimsuN, Mayor. LBTTBB8 OF KCIKKT. Letters ot regret were read frorfl some of the celebrltiea of the state and natlon. Alix.unliT riullivan sent the following telegram which was read : Chicago, Jone lth, 188(i. To J. V. Sheehan, Cliairman, and Othert: 1 reKi'('t miieu inore tlian yon possibly can, niy muliility 10 aooept your kind invliuUon toaddrevtue meeting of atadenta and olllzcnsoi Arm Arbor to Se held thta evening vo declare tnc approvaJ of tbe sflbrti of l'arnell and Qladatoue tn belialf of sclf-govomiuent for Irtilaiul. No expression frmn Amerlcans will bo inoreniguitlcuiatliau tlial of Micliigan University. It augiirs well for the future or imr irro mslltutions that the youns; men whu Hredentlned tu be leaders oi polllical thouKhtH and aotloDi m their teveral home Lnrougliout luis oountry are already so tomul, humane iiid üliei'ul as to wlsh Uiat every luml OD earlh stiuli be bleased with freedoin. I bcK to ihunk Uwm ml liearlily for thelr NyniiMtliy wllli my oppreued race. Tliey m:iy be BMOTed lliut wlu-n Ireland enjoys self-Koverniiient, lier people of all crecdb aud colora wlll havo equal righls belore her 1 iws. Ñol ouly has thoschoohimnler beun auroad In IrelanJ but the Amerlcun, and the plrlt of American Instllutlons have been there. Uullke the surpeuts that spirit flndH the Irlsh atmosphere congenial and lt thrivex in company with the shamrock. Your work, therelore, Is uot only human but also patrlotlo, you are extendluR and making more owerlul and more enduiiug lyatem of governmrnt whtoh Is of the people, for the ' ple, auil by the people. As UM dwtraouon ol our guvermnent would liare put hack the marot) of Liberty. perhaps for centurles, so the extensión of llberty to other lands adds to lts permiinence Ali thanks and all honor to the Unlverslty and luyal Michlau. ALKXANDER 8ULLIVAN. Hon. James. F. Joy sent this: I IITEOIT, Mich., June 3d, 1S8G. J. V. Sheehan, Mêq. limit It ia DOt llkely that I shall be ableto beat Ann Arbor nexi Krlilay evenlng. 1Í l am not Ui ere, my best wishes are for the success of the meeting, and for home rule In Ireland. It inay be defeated for a time with the prejudlces of centurles stlll hnvlug lnlluenceon Engllsh mliulH, and wilh nsisteuce with whlch reform ol any kind Is alway met In üiiKland, and especially any reform connected with Ireland, Dut the day Is not far otr when lt wlll be secured, and In-land wlll occupy relative to Kngland the posltloD whlch our state occupy towards the Kovernment ot the United States. All frlends of government "for the people 'and by the people," wlll rejolce when that time comes for Ireland, as lt has long slnce come for all Uu' Knglish speaklng race. In all parts of the world except In that Island alone. Yourn truly, J. V. JOY. Letters werc also reocivcd trom Senator Palmer, RepreeentatlTe WiHiam C. Mavbury, Coiiiiiiissioner M. V. Montfromery, aiul many others.
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Ann Arbor Courier
Old News