The Sun.
London, England, 1869-10-23 00:00:00

MI?. GLADSTONE'S REP.Lr TO THE)

FL'iYIANS.

The letter reeeived by Mr. O'Shea, chairman of the
Limerick Amnesty Society, from Mr. Gladstone, refusing
the release of the prisoners, is a rather long document.
Her Majesty's Government (the Premier says) have care-
fully considered the memorials, addresses, and resolutions
from the various bodies in Ireland in favour of the
prisoners "convicted at several dates of treason-felony and
other grave offences in connection with the Fenian con-
spiracy." Those proceedings (the letter proceeds) have
varied much in character. "Loyal and peaceable persons
have taken part in them, in large numbers, under the in-
fluence of feelings which deserve every respect. On
the other hand, they have sometimes been marked by
language calculated to justify or eulogise the conduct of
the prisoners, and demanding as a right that which could
enly be an act of clemency on the part of the Sovereign,
earnely, the remission of sentences justly inflicted upon
offenders who had been found guilty by juries of their
countrymen. I must add that I fail to discover any proof
that these misguided men have abandoned those designs
against public peace which were cut short by
their imprisonment. This fact is the more im-
portant because it is known to the Government
shat the Fenian conspiracy is not extinct either in the
United Kingdom or in America; while it is unhappily
notorious that some journals published and more or less
widely disseminated in Ireland continue to maintain a
tone which must tend to engender discontent and
disaffection, with the social and political dangers that
necessarily follow. It has been our desire (Mr. Glad-
stone proceeds) to carry out clemency, and the minor
offenders have been discharged. But with regard
to the release of the principal leaders and
erganisers, our first duty is to consider, not the
overwhelming power with which future crime could
be repressed, and still less the satisfaction always atten-
dant on concession to demands that have sprung from a
generous compassion, but the paramount obligation of
securing in their peaceful occupations the loyal mass of
the community throughout these countries, on whom we
have to call for the efforts and sacrifices necessary to main-
tain the social system and to ensure the performance of
the duties connected with the administration of justice.
To rise, or to incite to insurrection, against the Government
of this country and against the public order is ever to be re-
garded as a great crime ; to permit it would not be less
great. The Administration can have no interest except
the interest of duty in its punishment. To consider the
time and circumstances of remission is a charge which we
must not evade by attempting to devolve it upon others.
Were public mischief to arise in consequence of an ill-
judged act of indulgence, wishes expressed even by large
numbers of the people would not avail to excuse the
advisers of the Crown, or to relieve them in any degree
of their responsibility." Having such a view of their
responsibility, to advise the release of the pri-
soners would be (Mr. Gladstone adds) " contrary
to our duty as guardians of the public security and
peace." The Minister then concludes :—" Our enlightened
Sovereign and Parliament have just granted to Ireland one
great measure of conciliation and justice. We cannot
doubt that legislation conceived in the same spirit upon
other Irish questions of vital importance will continue ;
and that the gradual but sure result will be to bind in
harmony all classes of the Irish people, with the solitary
exception (if an exception must indeed be made) of those
miguided persons who, far from labouring for the redress
of such grievances as may still exist, have rather
favoured their continuance. In any case, while resolved so
far as in us lies to continue the work of removing any real.
grievances, we are equally determined to maintain, by all
the means in our power, security of life and property, the
authority of the law, and the integrity of the empire ; and
I appeal with much confidence to you, gentlemen, and to
all loyal men in Ireland, to leave this painful question in
the hands of the Government who have to decide it with
the fullest knowledge and under the heaviest responsi-
bility."