Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1887 — MICHAEL DAVITT TALKS. [ARTICLE]

MICHAEL DAVITT TALKS.

O * TheEftglwh Government’s Policy Will Not Suppress the Irish People. Michael Davitt left Liverpool, Thursday, for New York. Before boarding the steamer he submitted to an interview, in wHch he said: “The order for the suppression of the National League will neither intimidate its members nor in the least degree set back the popular movement. It is slipplv impossible now to grush the movement. That would mean to put in prison three-fourths of the people'in Ireland. The immediate outlook is gloomy in the reme. I look with anxiety upon the coming winter, believing, as I do, that ne action of the government will provoke widespread disorder. If the people tamely submit to be deprived of the right of public meeting and freedom of peech, they will show themselves unworthy of home rule. We must fight, we must make sacrifices, for the principle of self-government. “I have already served nine years in prison. On returning to Ireland I have a good prospect of putting in more years in prison. I believe every earnest Nationalist is ready to do the' same. I never found a people readier to make sacrifices lor a national cause, I never knew of any people in: the world more tesolute to carry on a fight. It would be infinitely more agreeable if we were enabled to continue the struggle in a peaceful, constitutional manner, but the Tory government will not let; us. A policy of deliberate exasperation has been determined upon, by the Salisbury ministry. Upon them rests the responsibility for the coming events. By far the -worst feature of the present situation is the government’s plan of resorting to the worst kind of coercion in the interest of * r' landlords. They admit that thte present dual ownership Ought to he abolish-/ ~ ed. They recognize that the existing ]

system is a complete failure, vet the movement of Irish leaders to reform the land tenure is declared Illegal, and they themselves are denounced as criminals. Tbfrname of the League might be suppressed, but the thing itself will remain. I have always declared myself a separati on principle, denying the right of any people to invade the free- 1 dom and liberty of another people. I do not believe that the majority of Irishmen would be satisfied with a constitution like Canada’s,"which,however, would probably meet the exigencies of the case. Let me add that I hope Mr. Gladstone, the next time he tries his hand, will improve on hiß previouefforts. His plan was defective and undemocratic. The two order arrangement would never have worked. The fiscal burden proposed! was too heavy and an unjust exaction from country of which Mr. Gladstone, presumably in the interests of the empire, had already been the chief financial scourge. I would like to see Ireland as free as any other nation. I believe that the freer you make her the friendlier she will be.”