The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1866-03-13
Ireland.

Ireland.
The following extracts are from
John Mitchel's late Paris letter to
the New York Ne,cs:
"Late performances in Ireland
must have produced some commotion
on your side of the Atlantic. About
two hundred men (naost Of them Ane,.i-
ca" c:!ise'as) suddenly arrested and
thrown into Jail, without any charge
against them I! So far as Ireland is
concerned, indeed, this is but the old
story repeating itself. A billsuspend-
ing the habeas corpus rushed through
both Houses of Parliament in thirty
six hours, and then the iails imme-
diately crammed with crowds cf per
sons whom any detective points out
to the Lord-Lieutenant as a danger
Gus Or suspected person. It is an ac-
curate copy of what was done in '4S.
There was the same headlong speed
to pass an Act leaving all mems liber-
ties entirely at the mercy of Dublin
Castle; and then also there were over
ono hundred men arrested in various
towns of Ireland, and not only thrust
into prison, but dragged from one
prison to another in some distant
place, in chains without the slightest
object, except to etstrike terror" :"
Stanton could scarcely do more To
Ireland, then, the thing is an ordinary
phenomenon; but what gives it some
additional interest on the present oc-
casion is, that most of those so thrust
into dungeons, aciNoM charqe, are
citizens of the United States; citi
zens, too, who have served the United
States III war. What will Mr. Seward
say to this ? We all know, of course,
that citizcns of the United States, as
we'll as ali other persons, are amena-
Bile to the laws Of the country they
happen :" be in; and, if they break
those laws, must take the usual cor
sequence. But here are men in
chains who are not charged with
breaking any law at all. What be-
comes of Ron1a7ae1s sun?
Perhaps it Will be assumed in Ame-
rica-as it has been i'm England,
though without q title of proof
that these men went to Ireland upon
solne illegal Grand. But though the
British Government may assume this,
or pretend this, it can scarcely be
possible that the American Govern
ment Will assent to such monstrous
assumption. It is said, to be sure,
that before proceeding to these out
rageous extremities, Lord Russell
consulted Mr. Adams. 1t is scarce
credible that an American Minister
can have said to the English Govern
ment go ahead; they are only Irish
after all
[ suppose we shall have a sequel to
this affair, at least in the shape of
long-winded correspondence.
In the meantime, the desperate and
widespread disaffection in Ireland is
exciting surprise everywhere outside
of the three kingdoms Why we had
been led to beieve-this is the COM
mon remark-that Ireland had be-
come prosperous and contented of
late years. Besides, is not Ireland
under the very same laws and Consti-
luton that governs England? We
know that ireland was misgoverned
and hardly used in past times, but
that we thought was all over. Such
is the sort of cant industriously in
culcated by the British press, which
actually undertakes, and with much
success, in concealing from all the
outside world the real facts of Irish
government; for, rely upon it, who
soever else may feel surprise at Irish
the English don't. They
know all about it, and the reasons Of
it; and therefore it was very natural
in their Parliament the other { to
vote against all inquiry into the causes
of Irish discomfort. Such an inquiry
would have brought out into the light
of day such facts as the following,
which it is not thought judicious to
let foreign countries know:
That Ireland is not governed by the
samo laws rs England.
That, in England, it is legal and
usual to appoint delegates to meet in
some appointed place, and consult
about their affairs; but in Ireland
this is a penal offence.
That, in England, it is legal to pos
sess arms, and to practice the use of
them; but III Ireland it is transport
able crime.
That Englishmen may form voIun-
teer companies for national defence;
but that Irishmen may not.
That, in England, there is no such
code Of laws known as 'scrime and
outrage Acts, ''peace preservation
Act, and the like, which in Ireland
place all mems liberties and the sane
tlty of their homes ot tho ,,arcx, of