IRELAND.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1438, 8 December 1885, Page 2

IRELAND.

The Rev, f). Gordon on the 18th of November last delivered a lecture on Ireland to a crowded audience in Sloan’s Theatre, Invercargill. After having given an outline of the history of the com try, he concluded his lecture as follows : —“During the eighteenth century the Irish were shut out from almost every Slate office. They were not permitted to act as teachers or magistrates, and they were excluded from every position of influence in (he army and the church. Af't ,j r ihe rebellion of 1798, which led to the death of 50,000 insurgents and 20,000 royalist®, there came a time when, through the instrumentality of Curran and Grattan, the English were compelled to concede certain liberties. . During the present century there had been about 20 risings and numbers of secret societies had been

instituted with the object of casting off English rule. Daniel O’Connell, a mai? of commanding stature and great ability, took vip the cause of the people and tho country, and demanded the emancipation i of the Irish from the yoke of oppression. When the Emancipation Bill was passed, he then wished the repe.al of the Union, and attempted to attain his object by simple argument, without (he aid. of the ®word. The Young Ireland” paity tried to gain this end by revolution, but signally failed. At the present time there were Home Rulers and Land Leaguers bound together to secure, as . far as possible, Home Government, the right to legislate for themselves. He, thought it would be a dark day for Ireland when the bonds between that country and Britain were broken, but he looked upon it as the duty of England to give wider liberty to Ireland than had been allowed her in the past. Parnell, he believed, did not wish tbe bonds existing between the ‘two countries broken. He was engaged in the patriotic effort of endeavouring to obtain for the people the right to legislate tor themselves. All must admit that landlord oppression had goaded them to disorder, and had made poor Ireland poorer. It was surely a right of the people to have the liberty to use their influence for their country’s good. As a minister he did not think it right to withhold that which was due to his foliowmen. They ought to trust tbe Irish people. They had often in the past proved themselves trustworthy, and the spirit of heroism was Hill as healthy as m the past. If they, in the heroism of their nature, were willing to shed their blood for their country’s good, he would say they deserved to be placed on the same footing as other portions of the Empire. He feared there might be strife, as in the past, before their object was attained. The Emerald fields might bo ' stained with gore, but if bloodshed could be honorably averted, then grant them their rights peacefully. One of the most unfortunate traits in the Irish character

was that they trusted too much to "luck. If they worked with the same energy as their countrymen in the United States -nd Australia, he did not think thep would be such objects as some tried to p ; ctuc<3 them. They were large-hearted, and would share all they possessed if they had to beg for more. He hoped (hat, as the British looked back on what the Irish people had suffered, they would endeavor, by word and sympathy, to remain friendly in heart and spirit, and keep Ireland an integral portion of the British Empire.