PRESENTATION TO MR DION BOUCICAULT. THE IRISHMEN'S TRIBUTE.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 131, 5 December 1885, Page 4

PRESENTATION TO MR DION BOUCICAULT. THE IRISHMEN'S TRIBUTE.

A FiUiEWKLL presentation to Mr Dion Boucicault in the form of a complimentary address, engrossed and illumimitod by Mr J. Slator, was made on November 30, in the Star Hotel. There were present :— Judge O'Brion, Messrs D. A. Tole, J. M. Shera, J. M.Brigham, T. Thompson, M.H.U., P. Darby, M. Gallagher, W.H. Ponton, T. Boylan, Thos. Mahoney, D. G. McDonnoll, J. J. Crofts (hon. sec.), MeCabc, Uuigloy, M. Sheahan, sen., M. Shoanan, jun., Flynn, Noylon, Walkoi, P. Gloeson. D. Lynch, W. Jones, T. Flaherty, W. Eyre, Courtney, E. F. Miller, O'Connor. G. A. Kcid, aud "Wallnutt. Mr Thomas Thompson, M.11.R. for City North, having, in the absence of Sir G. M. O'Rorko, been invited to make the presentation, said:— "Mr Bouoicault,— You are doubtless uware that it is the wish of your folio w-counti ymen in Auckland to present you with an address as a memento of your visit amongst thorn. They desire to express their heartfelt pleasure at having had you in their midst ; and it is mattor of regret to me that Sir Maurico Q'Rorko, who Sromiscd to present the address, should— no onbt, from unforeseen circumstances— be prevented from doing so. In common with my fellow-countrymen of this city 1 feel it to be a plcosuve and a gratification to have you amongst us. I regrot that there has boon occasion to call upon me so unexpectedly ; but at any rate, if I cannot express lnysolf so eloSucntly as Sir Maurico O'llorke would have one, no could not, I am sure, have spokon more heartily (Applause) Without tiny further romarks I will read the address that has been prepared for presentation to yon. It is as follows :—

" To Diox Bouoicault, Esq.— Farewell Address } from the Irishmon of Auckland to Ireland's renowned Dramatist and Actor. " We, your fellow countrymen, of ovoiy crcod every grade, and every shade of opinion, residents of Auckland, desire to congratulate you on the success you have achioved in enacting your own plays throughout Australia and Now Zealand. It i"s a source of pride to us that one who has won such a distinguished place on the roll of illustrious Irishmen lias paid a visit to these remote colonies, and that both on the stage and on the platform you have nobly uphold the character of Irishmen. The frankness and manliness w ith which you have avowed the opinions you hold respecting our native land have won even the esteem ot our fellow-colonists who do not hail from the Emerald Isle ; and the love of country which on all occasions liens from jour lips is appreciated by them as an emblem ol your patriotic heart. Of this love of country we claim no monopoly, but we venerate the same feeling when it warms the breasts of our English and Scotch fellow-colonists. To our countrymen at home may wo ask you to take the message from us that we watch over their destinies with unflagging solicitude, that wo long to hear of better days dawning upon them, that we attribute ouv contentment and prosperity here to the light of self-government which New Zealand enjoys, so ditferont from the lot ot our native land, which was robbed ot its self-govern-ing powers by corruption and traud, and whose tali liasbeen sanctified by the immortal language of its Curran and its Plunket ; by the life-long labours o£ its O Connoll ; by tho glory of Gratlan and genius o£ Moore. Tell them, too, that \\ c | have an abiding faith ; that as Ireland has survi\ed the terrible penal laws, the cruel land laws, the famine, expatriation, and casting of I its people, that even the direst result ot bad government, so a merciful Providence will yet interpose and ransom the remnant of our people that still cling to our native soil from the mibonea that tor seven centuries have aillicted our beloved countij. In bidding adieu to yon and Mrs Boucicault, we wish you Loth still higher honours,, and a long and happy life, and that repose in your old age \\ hich an industrious lite and an arduous profession so richlj deser\ c."

(Place for signatures). Mr Boueicault, who received quite an ovation, said:— Gentlemen. I thank you \evy sincerely for the honour > on have shew n in selecting me as your messenger of peace and gooclw ill to our country. Before 1 bucept that commission, k l desire that you should know a little further what kind of man you ha\ c employed and what io the nature of his sincere cotnictions, for I would not have you, under any circumstances, five me that commission under fulsc conditions, will talk to you, not as one who utters an oratorical speech, tor ot that lam incapable. I am not on orator or a public speaker, but simply an honest man and a sincere Irish citizen. There are certain features connected w lth this address which you w ill allow me to particularise, tor they are charmidg to me. fellow-countrymen of every creed, every grade, and e\ cry shade ot opinion, both political and religious, are here represented and united. United!— that is the j^reat test— that is the important term, it has ueen the lack of this union that has been the source of a)) Ireland's troubles. She was never conquered except by heiscif. She «as never subjected except by herself. She was ne%or ut>)ected except to herself. She was conquered bj her own strife, subjected chieliy bj her waul ot coherence, and rendered abject continuously by her own suicidal troubles. You see I can speak of her faults as well as represent her virtues. But when Ido speak of her laults. I say that she is the victim of them chiefly , and that she never would have been that victim hud she been under no one else's feet. Now, thei c were B,ooo,ooo of population in Ireland when I was born—that was m 1822. When 1 came to full manhood's estate there w ere only live millions. What became of the other two or three millions '. They came here to learn freedom, and they went to the United States to learn to be united. That great population and their children are existing there and here now in a noble condition ot independence—having gained the respect of the w orld by their conduct, by their loyaltj , by their peace, by their energies, and by their talents. They have shown England what she has lost (applause). Now, about six years ago 1 was invited by the Irish party in the House of Commons to meet them, and llie object that they had was to discover —as I had been a long time resident in the United States— what measure ol support the party might expect in case of a general election from the Irish in the United States. At that time tbc Irish nienibcis were about thirty-eight to forty-one strong. Ii by any possibility they got forty more seats they were confident of being able to sway and control the House of Commons. 1 told them that the Irish in the United States, like the Irish everywhere else, all over the world, except in Ireland, by their energies and by their good conduct, had earned wealth and position, and were honoured in the sevoial countries and colonies which they inhabited. I told them that they looked back upon and have a certain distrust of the coherence of Irish parties, and that if they could feel sure that the Irish party in the House of Commons would show an unbroken front and be true to itself, there was mot. the slightest doubt that they could draw for any amount to be supplied, but not under any other conditions. The member.-, constituting that party have been true to themselves and the consequence is that they have received that support and drawn for it both from these colonies and from the I United SUtes, and now, in the present elections, I think they will get their eighty seats. (Hear, hear, and loud applause). Now let them use thetr power in a dignified mannei'— in such a manner, gentlemen, that you will be proud of them. The other parties will undoubtedly be very nearly evenly balanced. What minister will accept office under such conditions ? What minister can possibly carry out public affairs of the serried ranks ot eighty Irish members, sworn to be faithful and true, were determined that there should bo only one issue to bo fought, and that that one issue must be given? They will send Ireland to mind her own business at home. They will get all that is possible for Ireland, viz., all that is prudent and proper for her to have. (Applause.) Now, we have a great deal to talk about, the dismemberment of the British Empire. Well, gentlemen, it is only a bogie. Let us knock the stuffing out of that scarecrow. (Laughter and applause). What was the matter with England before the year 1800 1 Was she dismembered or disorganised ? So far as my memory serves me she was then the most powerful and the most respected Monarchy in Europe. At that time she subsidised ltussia and Prussia. They were her paid servants in war. She held Spain under one arm and Itlcy under the other. She held Napoleon under her foot and she did that very largely with tho assistance of Ireland. (Applause.) Gentlemen, what is the position now I Does she hold as great a position in the Councils of Europe, and before the other Powers? I say, "No." (No.no, and applause.) I think, so far as I can see, that she abstains from a sense of tear and weakness ; that she— l will say— forms upon the United States; that she flatters Russia, " letting, I dare not, wait upon I would;" and that sho crawls on her belly the German Empire. That is tho result of— What? Of being a United Kingdom, and union with. Ireland. (Applause.) I tell you, gentlemen, that the dismemberment of the British Empire dates from the Act of Union (loud applause). I say that previously Ireland was loyal, and I can prove it by all her acts. But she suffered bitterly for her loyalty, and since that the rebellion has been endemic. Is that union ? I call it disunion ; and I say that when Ireland gains what she wants, and a true union of the throe countries is completed, sho will be as hearty and loyal as any of the others | (loud applause). People may say, and do say, that when Ireland had her own Parliament that ; it was a very bad one. The reason for that was that it was elected by English, landlords. Ido not say that when Bhe gets her Parliament even now that it may not be a bad ono. But, as Touchstone remarks to Audrey in the play,

"It is a poor thing, but it is my own." You may, somh of you, have disorderly familios, but you aro botter off with a disorderly family of your own than to bo compelled to take a sharo in another man's family thot does not belong to you. howooor good it may bo. (Laughtor and applause.) Now. Ido not want any dismember- ! nient of the British pooplo, including tho Irish pooplo. (Hoar l hear! and prolonged applause.) I do not want anything of the kind, for I know that my country naa contributed very greatly to the glory of the British Empiro, and in its cause has lavishly given both blood and treasure In literature, and in art, too, thoir fortunes havo boon linked togothor, but I say she is no longer going to bo tho Cindrollu of the British Empiro. 1 want hor to rotain hor sharo in the firm, but carried to a separate account. I do not want a divorce, but, by God, I want for hor a restitution of conjugal rights (enthusiastic applause). Well now, gontlemen. some few years ago I was oH'oroa a seat in Parliament by somo I tooli»h people wbo thought I deserved it. Well. I did not. I thought, and I think wisely, that I can do those that I love far better service by taking my own way and doing my duty iv that state of life to which it has pleased God to call me, aud 1 havo exeroised my abilities in that direction. You have perceived very kindly tho objeot I havo mixed up with my own works. Now, in pursuance of that ohjeot, I a oi about to take your kind message or comfort and encouragement to tho bleeding hearts at home, i will give them this agauranoe— that aa the wandering Arab in the desert, when he utters his morniugand evening prayer, turns hla face with his hoart full of dovotion towards tho burial place of his prophot and his creed ; co Irishmen, all over the world, when they utter their prayers for their native country . turn their hearts towardß that little island in tbe Atlantic which thoy are proud to proclaim bb the birth place of themselves or their father. (Prolonged applause). Mr J. M. hiikka. upon called upnn to Bpeak, said : Gontlomen, I do not think that it is ntceseary to add anything: to what Mr Thompson has said, or to the vsry inspirating remarks that Mr Boucicault has made. In travelling tnrough tho colonies, you, sir, must have been struck with many things, and one, by no meanß the least important, may have attracted particular attention. I rofer to tho fact that in toe oolonies wo have achieved tho blending of the ornnpte and the green (hear, hear, and applause), and we have attained sympathetic harmony in that direction. Mr Boucicault: That is the Union, sir. Jt fs tho Irishman's Union we want. Mr E. F. Miller said that as a yoxing colonial he was very pleased to bo able to say that the predominant fouling i • tho colonies wss to see the three nationalities thoroughly united. He took tho story of too confuson cf tongues at tho Tower of Babel to teach the lesson that every man should lovo his own country, but at the same time here was I a raoro important les9on still which did not conflict with patriotism, and that was tho duly of loving one another. (Applause.) At tho invitation of Mr Boucloalt the gentleman present then addressed themselves to tho liquors on tho tabJo, and the proceedings took a convivial turn.