MR REDMOND IN WELLINGTON

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1100, 17 October 1883, Page 2

MR REDMOND IN WELLINGTON

(per press association)

WELLINGTON, Oct 15.

A number of Irish residents of this city and the surrounding districts waited on Mr J. E. Redmond, M.P., this morning, to welcome him and present him with the following address: u Dear Sir, on behalf of the Irishmen of Wellington, we beg to welcome you to this city. We welcome you as the accredited agent of our beloved native land, the land to which our hearts belong, the land which has the right to claim our assistance whenever she calls for it. Much as we may like the country of our adoption, our first love is given to Ireland. Our dearest hopes are for her success in her struggle for Home Rule in her endeavours to gain tbe selfgovernraent which we here happily enjoy; in her struggle to keep her children at home, and maintain them there as free and prosperous citizens. You are one of the foremost spirits of that brave band which has fought the constitutional battle of our country as it never has been fought. Their bearing in Parliament, and their persistence in urging there the Irish cause, have turned the eyes of our race all over the world on that party with pride in them and hope for our country. We beg of you to convey to Messrs Parnell and Davilt, and other leaders of the Irish people, the assurance of every support we can give them in their patriotic and constitutional movement, and, on behalf of our countrymen here, we pledge ourselves, to support the Irish National League until it has achieved the object for which it was formed.” Another address was presented by the Irishmen at the Hutt. Mr Redmond replied in appropriate terms. He did not consider the expressions contained in the addresses, he said, as tendered so

much to himself as to the cause of which he was the advocate. He remarked there had been many unscrupulous calumnies heaped upon him in other places, and that sometimes by persons who knew very little about bis platform. Ho hoped the citizens of Wellington would come to the lectures which he proposed delivering here, and show the manliness of their English character, which was not to condemn a man before he was heard. He would assure them that they would hear nothing from him that they could take exception to, that the cause of the Irish National League was perfectly constitutional, and the arguments used in support of that cause were in every sense reasonable and constitutional.