SPEECH

AT THE DINNER OF THE IRISH CHARITABLE SOCIETY IN BOSTON, MARCH 19, 1893.

FOR

'OR the third time it is my privilege to come to this Society with the greeting of the Commonwealth, mingled with her congratulations upon its long, useful, and honorable life, and for a third time to note in your welcome and in your loyal toast the love you bear to this grand old State, of which we all are justly proud.

I like the language of your toast to the Commonwealth. It speaks not of her wealth, her population, or her size; nor of her trade, her industries, or her prosperity. It passes by these material things, great as they are, and notes as the potent fact of her life that from her sprang American liberty; that, loyal in her devotion to human rights, with sympathy and help she has been the friend always and everywhere of the needy and oppressed, and so she has left her impress on the Nation, and so in pride and love we pledge to her our devotion and our service.

I do not need in this presence to recall the facts of her history, which justify the sentiment so well expressed in the toast. Every school-child is familiar with them, and knows that throughout her whole life the love of liberty has prevailed, and made her citizens, not only self-reliant and self-governing, but earnest in their sympathy with any people who enter on the path which we have trodden, and have found to lead to prosperity and happiness.

So, to-night, as ties of blood and kinship carry the thoughts of many across the water to the Green Isle beyond, and your hopes and prayers go forth that success at last may reward a struggle of seven hundred years, I think I express the sentiment of Massachusetts, in accord with her history and traditions, in declaring her sympathy with this cause, and her godspeed to the great statesman who, determined to undo the wrongs of the past with a measure of justice, seeks to give to a liberty-loving people the inestimable blessing of the right to govern themselves.

I am glad to-night to speak a word about Home Rule from a New England standpoint. This principle is thoroughly wrought into every fibre of our Commonwealth. When Governor Winthrop brought here from the shores of England the charter of his company, Home Rule had its inception. When from that commercial charter he and his associates developed a system of government, carrying out the fundamental principles of the "Mayflower" compact, Home Rule received a mighty impetus. From that day to this it has been the fundamental policy of our colony and State. It originated, shaped, and guided all the controversies with the colonial governors. It overthrew Andros. It was felt in every law and influence while Massachusetts, like Ireland to-day, was a constituent part of the British Empire, and until its denial by that government resulted in the independence of the colonies. The beginning and the end of the whole Revolutionary struggle was Home Rule; and the successful development of our National and State life since has been in following its guidance.

As in this, the greatest and best of the old Puritan Commonwealths, we, though of different blood, race, and religion, have lived happily and prospered together

under this principle of Home Rule, with a common experience and hopes and purposes, with a union of thought and action, with equal devotion to our Commonwealth and country, and all their great institutions, and an equal willingness to struggle and suffer in their behalf, so it is natural and fitting that we should stand together in our sympathy with the oppressed in other lands, and in our hope that to them as to us there may come liberty and self-government.

What better answer, too, than our own experience to the evil forebodings of those who fear that self-government cannot safely be given to a people because of differences of religion or of race? Early in our history there followed in the footsteps of our founders men of another nationality and of another religious faith. They came to a Puritan State; they brought with them their religion. Generously they were welcomed to our shores, and gladly, ever in increasing numbers, they cast in their lot with us. If they did not forget their native land and its green flag, yet ever above the green have they proudly carried the Star-Spangled Banner of our country and the Home Rule flag of our State. If in their minds there linger the sweet notes of Erin's harp, yet have they never failed to "keep step to the music of the Union" from the days of Montgomery and through the Revolution, to the time when Shields, Kilpatrick, and their many associates led their Irish ranks into the thickest of the fight for liberty and the Stars and Stripes.

Constantly in our American citizenship there has been this intermingling of nationalities and of religions, and of the new with the old. The descendants of the original emigrants to Plymouth, Salem, and Boston, and the descendants of the later emigrants, have be come an integral portion of our Commonwealth, sharing

in its government, and helping to mould its measures and its influences. And what has been the result?

A prosperous Commonwealth of a united, loyal, happy people, grounded in the principles of liberty, equality, and Home Rule. We hail her as the mother State who gives to all her protection, and gets from all, without exaction, obedience and love.

INTRODUCTORY REMARKS

AS PRESIDING OFFICER AT THE DINNER GIVEN TO HON. P. A. COLLINS, IN BOSTON, APRIL 4, 1893, UPON HIS DEPARTURE AS CONSUL-GENERAL TO LONDON.

WITH

7ITH pleasure I ask you now to turn from this generous table to the better things which others have prepared for you, from feasting to the kindly play of sentiment that will give expression to the one thought, the one feeling, and the one name which bring us together in sympathy and friendship to pay our tribute of respect and honor to our distinguished guest.

What need, however, to give expression to your thought? The character, the number, the enthusiasm of this gathering better than spoken phrase utter their "Well done" to a life well lived, and express their congratulation and their confidence as that life goes forth into fields of greater usefulness.

Massachusetts has a way of commending honorable service and faithful citizenship in the presence and the lifetime of those whom thus she delights to honor. She waits not till death to set her stamp of approval upon a useful, honorable life, but, speaking through a representative company like this, she with her word of praise gives for the past the reward well earned, and for the future" the spur to brave and honest deeds."

But a few nights ago there gathered here distinguished citizens, who, disregarding all political differences, gladly joined in words of just praise to one who