The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-01-24

N wv York. and the only Fenians left IN Ireland
were those sent over as missionaries from the
United States at the close Of our civil war.
But in the meantime incalculable mischief
had been done. The threats of the Fenian
from Ireland and thrown thousands Of poor
men and women out Of work. The money
which these poor people had been accustomed
TO receive from America, to exc out their
slender store or to assist them to emigrate, no
longer came; It had been subscribed for Fe-
nian bonds, through the persuasions and
promises of such men as O'Mahony, Stephens
and Roberts. Destitute, desperate. dying Of
slow starvation, the Irish peasantry had at ono
time some faint hope that all this enthusiasm
in America would result in some benefit to
them; but week by week this hope faded, until
the failure Of Stephens to keep his promise
to return to Ireland before January finally
extinguished II entirely. The majority Of
the Irish In Ireland now believe Stephens
to be either spy or rogue. II he. were to
visit Dublin he would be mobbed by bis
former friends. There is nothing except the
Ic0I Vi tuIo ICCcpthOu W uCtCI uAM 4Vm ACtuAAT
ing. Travellers can pass through and across
Ireland without the least molestation; and.
with his boosted skill at disguise, Stephens
would be perfectly safe. But he would have
hard work to find the army which he pledged
himself to lead or to account for the funds
which he has collected.
The only possible good result which Fenian-
ism has had is to attract the attention Of the
whole world to the miseries OF Ireland but
in order TO do this, 1t has made those miseries
greater. The Irish can do nothing for them
selves. In his mud-walled and straw-thatched
and earth-carpeted cabin the peasant sits by
the side Of the smoky peat FIRE, watches the
potatoes boiling in the iron pot, smokes his
clay pipe and broods over his troubles. He
sees that things are getting worse for him
every day /; but he does not see how TO remedy
them. Fenianism has done him no good. He
knows nothing about John Bright and reform,
and he does not understand the tenant right
agitation. His only hope for the future Is
emigration, and that requires more money
than be can save In lifetime. Amy help for
him must come from without; but the money
which would have taken him to America and
made a man Of him has been squandered
in Fenian bonds by bis crcdulous
friends in the United States. All the
legislation which may be proposed cam
not relieve this poor peasant and the GLASS
which he represents. The present generation
in Ireland is doomed, unless il can be as-
sisted to get away to this country. The agri-
culture is too poor to support the popuistion.
and there arc vsry Few mansiactoriea except
at Belfast. rAs English government Il going
to take up tho matter ss The approaching 4ses-;
sion Of, Parliament and mag possibly couple.
. tenaut-right bill witA the motion 70 centisas
the suspsasien sf the habeas corpus |; but the
tenant tight system would take ysars 10 pro-
duce pfacticsl effects. The peacssbIe repeal
Of the union between England and Ireland,
which some enthusiasts, like Sir John Gray. Of
Dublin, predict would be equally tardy. If
Bright could give the Irishmen votes at once
il would not help those who arc starving.
Emigration is Irclands only relief. and We
hope that the Fenian folly may be turned to
some practical account ct last by compelling
the leaders to disgorgs and employing what
remains Of the Fenian funds in bringing tho
Irish here. This IL the only republic in which
they need ever care to have part and here
they can have freedom, happiness, prosperity
and universal suffrage without The necessity Of
conspiracies or rebellions The Fenian lead
ers have much to answer for in the lives they
have sacrificed, the hopes they have blasted,
the money they have wasted and the suffer
ings they have caused. They have retarded
the progress OF Ireland at least quarter Of
century and they have doomed to death thou
sands Of freshmen who might have been trans
formed into thriving American citizens. For
the present they may enjoy their ill-gotten
gains but both In this world and the next
they ought to be punished as they deserve.
UndIsniacd Cendsct In tho House Of Repre-
as e..e .f.-f sentatives. rerrs #rr VIE
Before the present session commenced we
offered some good advice 10 Speaker Colfax
in relation 10 the course Il became him 70 pur-
sue as Speaker Of the House Of Represents
tives. We arc sorry to see that be has mot
proHted thereby, but that he continues to suffer
that branch OF Congress over which he pre-
sides to be disgraced by the unpariiamentary
violence. bulfoonery and ungentlemsnly be-