The Sun.
London, England, 1869-11-27 00:00:00

THE RETURN OF ROSSA- FOR

TIPPERARY.

The Times' Dublin letter is taken up entirely with...the
election of Rossa for Tipperary. The Fenian triumph, the
correspondent says, has come upon the public with a
startling effect of surprise, although it might have been
anticipated from the course of events during the week. It
is a fact of far deeper significance than usually attaches to
the election of a popular favourite. It would have
been as easy to select Kirkham or Gill to do battle
for their cause, but, as either might take the seat
if returned, it would be inconsistent with the
doctrine that there is no faith to be put in Imperial legis-
lation. It would be a recognition of British rule and the
constitutional system of a United Kingdom. The Fenians
did not want to have a member in the House of Commons,
but they wanted to make a demonstration of hostility to
the Government in a most emphatic form. The accounts
received from Tipperary since the nominatfon described
the whole country as seething with excitement. It was
stated that agents had been sent down from Dublin to
organise the masses, and there was reason to expect that
desperate efforts would be made to secure the return of
the Fenian candidate. Contingents were expected to
come in from the adjoining country to assist in the booths
and en the roads. Mr. Heron, not supposing that the
opposition was real, or would be pressed with such deter-
mination, neglected to adopt the usual course of engaging
the services of professional agents until the last moment,
when he could hardly expect to receive their hearty co-
operation. He also, it is reported, omitted to secure
vehicles for the conveyance of voters, and when the critical
moment arrived the Fenians got possession of them.
Threatening notices were despatched to farmers who were
believed to be favourable to him, and other modes of inti-
midation were resorted to, which the state of the poll
proves to have had the intended effect. The total number
polled for Rossa was 1,132, and for Heron 1,030, giving
the former a majority of 102. When it is remembered
that there are 10,800 voters in the county, the small
number of votes appears the more remarkable. The ques-
tion will occur how did it happen that upwards of 8,000
electors were unpolled. It is to be observed that the Con-
servative electors, except those who voted for Collet, took
no part whatever in the contest. The rest of the non-
Fenian constituencies were painfully perplexed. It was a
struggle in which the whole power of the priesthood was
arrayed on one side and of Fenianism on the other. They
were between two fires. If they voted with the priests, they
were in danger of falling victims to the fury of the popu-
lace. If they yielded to the urgent demands of the
Fenians, they were certain to incur the displeasure of
their clergy. On the whole it seems to be not a
moral victory, but a great triumph of brute
':force. The actual numbers polled for Rossa do
net furnish in themselves any ground of exultation.
Telegrams on Friday evening say, " Last night the mob in
the-town of Tipperary broke the windows of the supporters
of Mr. Heron. Rockets and squibs were thrown among the
Dragoons, and several priests were hunted through the
streets. Yesterday one had taken refuge at the police
station. The mob surrounded it, and did not disperse
until compelled to do so. In 'Cashel the mob paraded
Ale streets with drums and fifes, played national airs, and
displayed green badges. In Clonmel bonfires were lighted,
and the Mayor was hooted at and driven away when he
interfered. His windows were smashed. The mob
paraded the streets on Wednesday night singing Fenian
songs. The polling was generally quiet, and
there was no foundation for the rumour that the
votes were given for another Rossa substituted for
the prisoner. Luby, it is reported, will be started for
Queen's County. An immense torchlight procession was
held in Cork on Thursday night to celebrate Rossa's re-
turn as member for Tipperary. Five thousand persons
took part in it. There were 100 torches, and several bands
and'banners, with ‘Rossa and Tipperary' inscribed upon
them. Many tar-barrels and bonfires were burnt, and the
houses were illuminated. A large military force was
present, but there was no disturbance."
• The Dublin Express, a Conservative paper, in com-
menting on the result of this election, says :—" Dark as
the horizon is, we can discern faint streaks of the approach-
ing day. One grand result has been attained. The Irish
people have discovered the hollowness and insincerity
of the professional agitators, lay and clerical, by
whom they have hitherto been duped. How weary,
.flat, stale, and unprofitable ' would tinkering a Land Bill
appear in the face of such stern realities as the election
of yesterday ! The importance of the discovery and
exposure of the political charlatans who have fattened on
the sufferings of Ireland cannot be over-estimated. For
there was always a danger of the English people being
tempted to make terms with those self constituted repre-
sentatives of the people. The experiment of the Irish
Church might have been repeated, until not a single
valuable institution or loyal subject remained in Ireland.
But with an organization like Fenianism, which puts forth
such demands, it is impossible to parley."
The Freeman's Journal, the Liberal organ in Dublin,
says :—" The success of Rossa may be the defeat of the
present land question. But suppose it were, would no
land question spring up under the tutelage of Rcssa and
his party? Will the Fenians triumphant ' beg ' for fixity
of tenure, or "petition Parliament to `grant' them the
,iguD zu pay a perpetual rump : :mu. cruppuSO
that Mr. Gladstone were to-morrow to abandon as
hopeless, a settlement of the tenant question, and to
succumb before the union of landlordism and Fenianism—
and the supposition is not improbable—suppose that the
priests were to fold their arms, and retiring from the con-
flict, declare that henceforth they will leave the landlords
and the Fenians to adjust the matter between them—and
this course is not an impossible one—how would the land-
lords fare with their new allies ? If the landlords
will not trust Mr. Gladstone, he may be induced to
bow to their demands, to let them and their friends
settle matters in their own way. If the landlords
hate and revile the priests as intruding un-
bidden into their affairs, a sense of self-respect
may induce these reverend gentlemen to avoid insult for
the future. If men anxious for peace are►denounced as
stumps," they, too, mayrest from their thankless labours.
and leave the land question to be settled between the
landlords and the Fenians, who will, no doubt, speedily
arrive at a settlement.' The election of Luby, the new
candidate for the Queens County, whose placards are
already in type, would tend to hasten it still more, and
we will be amongst the first to congratulate the landed
gentry of Ireland if, when the end comes, they declare
themselves satisfied at the Fenian solution of the Irish
land question."