MR. DION BOUCICAULT ON IRISH PEOPLE AND IRISH CHARACTER.

Kumara Times, Issue 2864, 7 December 1885, Page 2

MR. DION BOUCICAULT ON IRISH PEOPLE AND IRISH CHARACTER.

In the course of his farewell speech to the Wellington public at the clot-e of his dramatic season, Mr Dion Boucicault said:— Beyond being an actor and a writer of plays for the purpose of contributing to yonr amusement, you have been good enough to remark that I have had another object in life, and that is to clear away the prejudices that unfortunately exist concerning the Irish people and Irish character. Now there have been others who have done a great deal more than I have towards that end, but perhaps you have never suspected, or, at any rate, never reflected upon it. It is you yourselves who have done it. When I say you, I mean you colonists of Australasia ; and I will tell you how you have done it. During the last thirty or forty years Ireland has poured out her population over Australia and New Zealand. They were poor and were not appreciated at Home, and they have come here. And what has been the result'? They have proved themselves most valuab'e citizens ; they have occupied the highest places in the Legislature and in your counci's. They have been law-abiding, loy*l, hard-working, good citizens. — [Chcis.] Do yon know why? Because your institutions, because your country, because you yourselves, full of justice and freedom, have given them a chanc ■, and that is what they have had all thiough Australasia and in ihe United States.— [Cheers.] And what has been the re-

suit? The English people have noted what has been accomplished here ; they have seen that the people from Ireland ■who have come here have had a chance, and have become valuable citizens. England had sent one of her convicts out, but after being in Australia a few years she was obliged to give him a a title on account of the. valuable services he had rendered. That was Gavan Duffy.—[Loud and continued cheering.] But what h ive you in these colonies done? You have given the Irish people a title amongst you as lawabiding, loyal, worthy citizens, and that is a title no monarch could bestow.— [Cheers.] It must be earned, and bestowed by the justice of the people of the country; and you have done that. And Ireland might bo as valuable at Home as abroad if she had a chance. But the prejudices of England are gradually being removed, and she is "oing to give Ireland more freedom, and Ireland owes it to you. —[Cheers ] She owes it to the opportunity you have given to the people of my blood. You have done this. What have I done? I have been nothing more than a very hnmble follower trying to do my little utmost, but you have done your great utmost, while I have been going about like a minstrel boy, singing the songs of my country.