Page:Perils of home rule.djvu/7

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5

indeed, is a word unknown by the majority of the members of the party who force it upon us. As far as we are concerned, there will be no finality. You have only to read the fourth resolution to see that, and as far as our countrymen are concerned, they have taken right good care to tell those whom it concerns beforehand that there shall be no finality with them. (Applause.) And then as to the gratitude which this measure is to win for England upon the part of those who are forcing it on us, I wonder if the English people consider what the gratitude may be worth. (Laughter.) I ask them to consider the case of Mr. Parnell—(hear, hear.)—the man who did more for them than any other man could possibly have done, upon whom they turned and hounded him down, because they thought it was to their advantage to do so, to force him to go from place to place, after nearly blinding him by their violence. We can only say that at present some little time has been graciously or ungraciously given to us for the consideration of this Bill. Meantime we shall not be idle. We have an active Press to which we owe a deep debt of gratitude. (Hear, hear.) We owe much to the superhuman efforts of the Daily Express and Irish Times. (Applause.) There is a style of beauty which is artless, and of more than ordinary simplicity, and it loves the sun and the shade, and is sweetly silent until something occurs to loose its tongue. I am afraid this Bill, which appears to have some of this artlessness and simplicity, will be subjected to much publicity between this and Easter week. (Hear, hear.) I shall endeavour to show good reasons for calling upon our fellow-subjects in England, Scotland, and Wales to come to our aid and help, and support us in this great crisis, and I shall address myself to a class of men for whom I have the deepest regard and respect. I mean

THE NONCONFORMISTS.

(Hear, hear.) I shall endeavour to show as far as I can their peculiar inconsistency in their attitude in this matter. Their attitude in voting against us, and helping forward our ruin, is inconsistent with the principles they have always professed.