The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-10-30 00:00:00

Elje totir!lribge o)ll2scrtnr.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER A 1869.

GOVERNMENT AND THE PENIANS.
A great metropolitan demonstration in favour
of the imprisoned Feniens has long been talked
of, and last Suuday it took place undor eircum-
stancos which inust induce every lover of law
and order and of the quiet of au huglish Sib
bath to hope that this may be the List of the
kind with which the country is to be afflicted.
A day or two before the demonstrat ion was made,
the Government had notified that the prayer of
the memorialists for the relief of the Fenian
prisoners could not be complied with. Mr. Glad.
atone announced this decision in language re-
markable for its calmness and moderation; he
wrote more in sorrow than in anger; he reviewed
the leading facts, and lamented that they were
of such a character that the Government felt
that, as the guardians of the public security and
peace, they could not advise her Majesty to re-
lease the prisoners. This being the case the
monster detuonsa-ation of Sunday hut was a for-
lom hope, but it was also a (Henley of dogged
obstinacy that can command no respect. We
take our impressions of the true character of
the demonstration from journals of opposing
polities, but from not one of them eon wo cc.
quire any one fact which altowe that the Govern-
ttiem decision wit an novae out'. On the con-
teary, we believe tit it 31 &lunette has
betel the beet possiitle course. Tee Peitinn pri
toe 're have been fairly 'teemed ft riy tried, and
enndemned. TI ey ftre not. SY it is the
tshiOn to aall them pulitical prisoners they
have otfended agaleet the commott lad,& of pub.
I. Remy and order; they have been found go itty
of t naeon-felony, combining offences against the
Sovereign and against her mithjecto and all of
them have been more or less guilty of actual
Outrap, while ell nave done their best to eniam.
ger the neaee end safety of their fellow citizens.
Their offence* hare some within the category of
crimes against omelet,/ they are an affair of po-
lice, and have been treated as such. Some of
the circumstances of their prosecution gave a
State character to their trial, but while the coun-
try eats feel is contempt for this (Ftimi political
ehar..cter of Fenianism, it cannot afford to con.
Sono its bl mdtbirsty and dangerous elements,
and it is just because the imprisoned criminals
are dangerous and vindictive men that the coun-
try generally feels that it would net be right to
liberate them at the dictation of their friends.
Mercy is a sweet and noble quality, but there
are times and occasions that render mercy to
some injustice to others; anti to he so tar mer-
ciful to the imprisoned Fenians as to liberate
them would he unjust to a country against whose
government, institutions, anti well.deing these
incarcerated men had persistently plotted. The
course which the Government has decided upon
may incense a section of the Irish people. but
Ireland herself cannot fail to see that there
never was a Ministry that has tried, and is try-
ing, to do more for Ireland thou the present.
The Irish Church Act and the preparations for
a measure in relation to land ought to be suffi-
cient evidence of the desire of the present Go-
vernment to benefit Ireland, and they can, there-
fore, with all the more grace, persist in a course
which they believe to he just and for the advan-
tage of the empire. That this decision will not
prev.trit these Fenian amnesty demonstrations
we have seen in many quarters, hut we feel as-
sured that they are useless and mischievous. It
would be far better if Irishmen would cultivate
enlarged sympathies, anil co-operate with time •
who are workit g for their good, rt.t tor tat th
rip°, and a vain thing in reference to
who are an fering a just penalty for their
IL :0 eeds.