The Press.
London, England, 1858-12-11 00:00:00

views upon this point are widely different from
those of Mr. LoWE, and we hope far more con-
sistent. Mr. LOWE thinks that Mr. BRIGHT'S
plan of clubbing representation in the great
towns would not secure but subvert the liberties
of the people. He sees it distinctly, and shows
it ably, in regard to the towns ; and so far Mr.
LowE and ourselves are in accord : but when
we come to the counties he falls away from us,
and not only refuses to apply to them the prin-
ciple and the reasoning which he has so well and
so truly recognized with regard to the boroughs,
but actually proposes to organize their repre-
sentation after the Bright scheme which he has
just denounced. Surely, surely, Mr. Lows.,
anxiety for the ascendancy of IVhig-Radicalism
has made you forget logic and decent con-
sistency!
Mr. LOWE thinks to frighten us with a bug-
bear about a flood of additional Irish mem-

bers. We laugh at his bugbear, and we are well
assured that there is no danger of the country
assenting to a duplication of Irish representa-
tion, till Ireland shows herself more observant of

,
law, more intent upon social progress, and more
careful of the interests and business of the king-
dom than she has done hitherto. Nor will any
Parliament be desirous of increasing the members
of that Papal Band who on so many occasions
have nearly brought the action of the Legislature
to a stand-still.

HOW TO DISCOVER RIBBONISM.

LORD EGLINGTOUN has not been idle. Action has

followed sharply and closely upon the heels of his

Proclamation, and the strong hand of the Execu-

tive has already grasped and dragged into day-

-- _
light a considerable number of the members of one

of those Secret Societies which are the bane of

Ireland and the clog on her onward

The Society to which these persons belong, how-

ever. appears to hp rathor a politic& than a so-

cial one, a revolutionary rather than a murder-
club, and its object is said not to be so much the
slaughter of landlords as the handing over of Ire-
land to some enterprizing Filibusters from the
other side of the Atlantic. We trust that the

hand which is stretched out will not be withdrawn

till it has the Ribbon Association, as well as the

Phoenix Society, within its grasp.
The time has come when some vigorous and
skilful effort must be made to extirpate the secret
murder-club which during the last thirty years
has been a pest in Ireland, and whose existence
is a sort of standing defiance to the cause of
peace, civilization, and order. Not only bas the
character of society in Ireland been blasted, but
the prosperity of the sister country has been
cruelly injured by the existence of a sanguinary
association—a lodge of assassins, sworn together
in secret, setting in conclave upon the awful
question "Who is to be killed? " pursuing their
fell career with impunity, and baffling the justice
of the law. The long existence of this diabolical
association, and the rumour that it is spreading
its pestilent branches into quarters of Ireland
where it was hitherto unknown, ought to make
all the authorities prompt to use the most
stringent remedies against this nefarious body;
and we are satisfied that we can show a means

by which Ribbonism can be successfully dealt
with.

The first plan which we should recommend is
a simple but an efficacious one. It is to institute a
new species of detective police force in Ireland. At
present the detectives in Ireland are clever enough
in dealing with thieves or burglars, or the cases
of ordinary criminality ; but they are not suited
by any means for unkennelling the miscreant
agents who are hired by their bloodthirsty em-
ployers in one part of Ireland in order to commit
a murder in another part. Observe how the facts
stand. An unfortunate gentleman is sentenced
by a court of secret conspirators to death. They
employ some agent to have recourse to a Ribbon
Lodge in some county—whether near or remote
makes no difference. Funds are subscribed; the

murderer is hired ; he is taken from Westmeath
to kill a gentleman in Tipperary, or vice rend.
The horrid act is accomplished ; and what then ?
The crime remains undetected ; a reward of

1001. is offered by the Lord Lieutenant, and the
neighbouring magistrates treble or quadruple that
sum. There is much indignation abroad, but

jected to a regular training. Men with a faculty
for simulation should be employed. They should
be able to disguise themselves as labourers in
search of employment, as farm stewards looking
for an engagement, as servant-men, or, better
still, as beggars seeking for alms. When em-
ployed in a particular district, it should not be told
even to the ordinary local police that the detectives
are in the neighbourhood. The secrecy of Rib-
bonism should be encountered with superior
secrecy by authority. The horrible discipline of
the secret murder-club should be met by a
deeper skill and artifice which should outweigh
the cunning Thugs who at present commit their
crimes with impunity. Half a dozen of those

specially-trained "murder-detectives " should be
dispersed in the district where Ribbonism wu
developed ; and the certainty that novel, speedy,
and secret means were employed against them
would after a few examples completely paralyze
the efforts of the Ribbon Conspiracy
At present, for the reasons already stated, the
Irish detectives are unequal to their work. They
are not sufficiently sharp, and they are not spe-
cially trained. A great improvement could
' L them, and we have warrant
of the police anthorities are

for saying

. :
THE PRESS, DECEMBER 11, 1858. 1203
...........,
e
done the thing once, and with such success, it is views upon this point are widely different from I the weeks roll by, and no discovery is made.
natural that they should try to do it again. Look those of Mr. LoWF and we hope far more con- The local police are baffled and at fault. They
1 -,
at Lord J. RUSSELL'S Government remaining in sistent. Mr. LowE thinks that Mr. BRIGHT'S are, as they have always been, most efficient in
1
1
office from 1847 to 1852, managing the affairs of plan of clubbing representation in the great putting down faction fights, and they are for-
the country sometimes well, sometimes ill, as it towns would not secure but subvert the liberties midable enough against noted thieves or suspi-
might happen. At last it felt a little shaky, and, of the people. He sees it distinctly, and shows cious characters, whose overt acts of misconduct
thinking that it required a gentle tonic, it set the it ably, in regard to the towns ; and so far Mr. are not very carefully concealed. The consta-
Reform Bill question going again. The Govern- Lows and ourselves are in accord : but when bulary and police originally were instituted for
rout supposed that they held in their hands a we come to the counties he falls away from us, the suppression of tumultuary bodies of men,
reserve, to be kept back and only used in cases and not only refuses to apply to them the
pun- who, in open day, in many parts of Ireland, would
of great emergency, and that reserve was to be a ciple and the reasoning which he has so well and tear down houses over the heads of unpopular
)
new Reform Bill. After having managed the so truly recognized with regard to the boroughs, tenants, and in many cases massacre the un-
affairs of the country perhaps very indifferently, but actually proposes to organize their repre- happy occ
upants. The country used to be ra-
and lost the confidence of the country by their sentation after the Bright scheme which he has waged by gangs of marauders—" Whiteboys," or
•
i maladministration, they had always at hand a just denounced. Surely, surely, Mr. Lows, " Rightboys "—and against the violence of such
1
scheme for tampering with the organized institu- anxiety for the ascendancy of IVhig-Radicalism bodies the police, in progress of time, became an
lions of the country by a new Reform Bill. And has made you forget logic and decent con- effective arm.
thus it comes to pass. It is not from below. It sisteney ! But it is very remarkable that " Ribbonism"
is not heaped up upon the:shoulders of the people ; Mr. LowE thinks to frighten us with a bug- commenced just about the time when Govern-
but it is from above—it is the work of statesmen bear about a flood of additional Irish mem- ment had organized a force for crushing what we
I who are anxious for popularity." bers. We laugh at his bugbear, and we are well shall call concursive criminality, the evil perpe-
r Is it very difficult now to see what is under assured that there is no danger of the country trated by bodies of wrong-doers. The san-
the garments which Mr. LowE has so freshly assenting to a duplication of Irish representa- guinary spirit, checked in one direction, broke
huddled on. "It was a mistake on the part of the tion, till Ireland shows herself more observant of forth in another. Secret murder, perpetrated
' Whigs ever to suggest a disturbance of the Re- law, more intent upon social progress, and more by single agents, planned and carried out with
form Act of 1832. Lord Jorix did it in an ex- careful of the interests and business of the king- extraordinary artifices for concealing it, became
treinity of weakness, and, disfurnished of every dom than she has done hitherto. Nor will any the resource of desperate and desponding ruf-
resource, grasped at new Reform with the hand Parliament be desims of increasing the members fianism, and the Ribbon conspiracy grew into an
of starvation. He recognized his mistake, and of that Papal Band who on so many occasions established order of villany. Against such a
ever since has held Reform in suspense, playing it have nearly brought the action of the Legislature carefully organized gang, which has now lasted
like a bob-cherry before the mouth of the people." to a stand-still. for two generations, it is obvious that the police
The split between the Whig-Radicals and the and constabulary bodies never were designed,
Radicals has come at last. The Whigs are afraid and we cannot be surprised that the murders
of Reform, and shrink from a disturbance of the HOW TO DISCOVER RIBBONISM. committed by Ribbonism so often remain un-
Settlement of 1832. LORD EGLINGTOUN has not been idle. Action has discovered.
We do not shrink from it, and we believe that followed sharply and closely upon of the heels his And here comes the importance of the sugges-
the question of Reform, so generally looked upon Proclamation, and the strong handof the ton that we have to press upon public notice.
as the stumbling-block of the Conservatives, may Execu- li‘, e are told that "Ireland has a detective force
and will be the occasion of forming from them tive has already grasped and dragged into day- already ;" and we answer, " True ; there is a
and among them a great and united party, who light a considerable number of the members of one detective force fit for discovering swindlers, and
will secure true representation for the People, and of those Secret Societies which are the bane of thieves, and burglars, but there is no detective
bring into action the Property of the country in force in Ireland specially organized for dealing
Ireland and the clog on her onward movement.
support of the Crown. This is evidently the with Ribbonism." We have been assured our-
The Society to which these persons belong, how- selves 133 officers of experience in the Irish con-
idea of Mr. NEWDEGATE, whom Mr. LowE ab-
surdly attempts to class with Mr. BRIGHT. No ever, appears to he rather a political than a so- gtobulary that when one of the present detectives
two men can be more distinct in their views of cial one, a revolutionary rather than a murder- is employed to discover a murderer, and when
Reform. Mr. BRIGHT is for extinguishing all club, and its object is said not to be so much the he repairs to a given locality, in a couple of days
individuality in representation. Mr. NEWDE- slaughter of landlords as the handing over of Ire- after his arrival it is perfectly well known that
GATE is for giving to individuality prominence land to some enterprizing Filibusters from the the detective has arrived. The police generally
and perfect freedom of action. Mr. BRIGHT other side of the Atlantic. We trust that the know him, and in a few days his person is recog-
desires to club representation in the great towns, hand which is stretched out will not be withdrawn nized, and he labours in vain.
so that a very narrow agency may command and till it has the Ribbon Association, as well as the The proper plan would be, that from fifty to a
dragoon those whom he proposes nominally to Phoenix Society, within its grasp. hundred of the most sharpwitted policemen in
invest with the franchise. In how small a corn- The time has come when some vigorous and the whole force should be picked out, and sub-
pass that Agency may be organized and con- skilful effort must be made to extirpate the secret jected to a regular training. Men with a faculty
ducted, and how despotic it may become with murder-club which during the last thirty years for simulation should be employed. They should
the aid of universal suffrage and the ballot, has has been a pest in Ireland, and whose existence be able to disguise themselves as labourers in
been demonstrated under two very opposite is a sort of standing defiance to the cause of search of employment, as farm stewards looking
forms of government in France and in America. peace, civilization, and order. Not only has the for an engagement, as servant-men, or, better
There has been a great change since 1832 in character of society in Ireland been blasted, but still, as beggars seeking for alms. When em-
the distribution of property and population the prosperity of the sister country has been ployed in a particular district, it should not be told
throughout the kingdom, in the creation of cruelly injured by the existence of a sanguinary even to the ordinary local police that the detectives
which railways have had a considerable share. association—a lodge of assassins, sworn together are in the neighbourhood. The secrecy_ of Ri_b-
A very large proportion of the people of the in secret, setting in conclave upon the awful bonism should encountered
Th with supenorf
middle class, who formerly lived within boroughs, question " Who is to be killed ?'' pursuing their .secrecyby authority.
__horrible discipline o
voted in respect of residences there, and were fell career with impunity, and baffling the justice the secret murder-club should be met I
by a
represented by borough members, now live of the law. The long existence of this diabolical deeper skill and artifice which should outweigh
the cunning Thugs who at present commit their
without the limits of the towns and in the coun- association, and the rumour that it is spreading the
with impunity. Half a dozen of those
neq• A circumstance which has not only mate- its pestilent branches into quarters of Ireland ,
rally altered the relative positions of the boroughs where it was hitherto unknown, ought to make specially-trained "murder-detectives " should be
and the counties with respect to property and all the authorities prompt to use the most dispersed in the district where Ribbonism was
Population, but has in an equal degree changed stringent remedies against this nefarious body ; developed ; and the certainty that novel, speedy,
tke character of the county constituencies and and we are satisfied that we can show a means and secret means were employed against them
of the county members. The county member is by which Ribbonism can be successfully dealt would after a few examples completely:paralyze
no longer purely the representative of the agri- with. the efforts of the Ribbon Conspiracy
cultural class. He has become the re re- The first plan which we should recommend is At present, for the reasons already stated, the
sentative of mixed interests and of a a simple but an efficacious one. It is to institute a Irish detectives are unequal to their work. They
are not sufficiently sharp, and they are not spe-
grest mixed population, of whom not a new species of detective police force in Ireland. At
cially trained. A great improvement could
Ivw by their migration have narrowed their influ- present the detectives in Ireland are clever enough
certainly be made in them, and we have warrant ence in the Legislature, in the proportion that 159, in dealing with thieves or burglars, or the cases
for saying that some of the police authorities are
the number of the county members, bears to 337, of ordinary criminality ; but they are not suited
now directing their attention to the means that
the number of the borough members. This is by any means for unkennelling the miscreant
we have indicated. But there is another resource
the glaring injustice which, as is evident from agents who are hired by their bloodthirsty em-
nis speech, which must also be pointed out.
„ Mr. NEWDEGATE seeks to remedy. ployers in one part of Ireland in order to commit -
rented
object is to obtain for those under-repre- a murder in another part. Observe how the facts That the Roman Catholic Priesthood could
constituencies who, for ten millions of people stand. An unfortunate gentleman is sentenced most powerfully aid in extinguishing Ribbonism,
and two millions of houses, only possess 159 mem- by a court of secret conspirators to death. They if they chose to exert themselves, can be easily
l?, while the towns, for seven millions of people employ some agent to have recourse to a Ribbon shown. By the use of the Confessional, the
and .one million of houses, have 337, a fair Lodge in some county—whether near or remote priesthood has an immense amount of knowledge
distribution of those seats which a readjustment makes no difference. Funds are subscribed; the of a secret character. They know when a district
of
roour system must place at the disposal of the murderer is hired ; he is taken from Westmeath is infected with Ribbonism, and their Church is
and the Parliament. That is the object• to kill a gentleman in Tipperary, or vice rersd. solemnly pledged against secret societies of every
A. mathematical. adjustment is impossible. We The horrid act is accomplished; and what then ? kind. Freemasonry is not even tolerated by the
two Pieces_ of cheese perfectly even, till there was 1001. is offered by the Lord Lieutenant, and the addresses from Roman Catholic bishops, in which
f,nothing left ; but a sort of rough justice is per- neighbouring magistrates treble or quadruple that the attendance of the laity at Masonic balls was
cc°3' Practicable, and it is at that we aim. Our sum. There is much indignation abroad, but , positively forbidden. Now Ribbonism is a secret
t

All
tolerated by the
read, ourselves,
)ishops, in which
&sonic balls WAS
onism is a secret