New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-03-18
WH1T HOPE FOR IRELAND

papers of the Fenian rising III lIeiaho OH
March 8 give the details for which tho pubic
| bas anxiously waited. They plainly show
that the resolution and courage OF
the Feuians would have resulted IN
longer and fiercer struggle, but for their want
of complete organization, and the careiul
prnparations the British Government had
made. Wherever they appeared ID force
British soldiers were ready to meet them,
and the distribution of the garTl-
sons made it almost impossible for the
rebels to Join their scattered bands. Under
these difficulties they made gallant fight, with
| temporary success, in Middleton and Castlemar-
| tye but everywhere failing in the end. Along
the line of the Great Southern and western
Railroad they appeared III large bodies, tear
ing up the rails and burning police barracks
but were soon driven from their positions. we
| ara not disposed TO believe the accuracy
| of all of these accounts; 1t Is lncredlDie
| that so policemen defeated 1000 Fc-
mans in Dublin, capturing % OF the
insurgents, and improbable that 400 at Bally-
knockin were routed by 50 soldiers 1t Is
equally absurd to suppose that 800 well-armed
rebels, marching in true military style, and led
by such a man as DAILY appears to have BEEN
were put to flight by five policemen at
| Castlemartyr. The Irish story has not yet been
told, and we must wait still longer to know IN
what force the Fenians attempted to free their
country, and by what force they were really
crushed.
| Enough il told. however. to justify the
conclusion that the affair has been of much
more serious character than the meaSer tce-
grams have represented. 1t would seem,
however, that the revolt was premature,
and that, with the large forces at their com
| mand. the Government will experience little
difficulty in subduing the insurgents. But III
any case the Liberation of Ireland from
British rule, by means OF an armed insur-
rectOn, is at present an imposSblty. En-
gland is at peace with the whole world and
has a considerable army and a powerful navy
at her command. The case might be different
were she engaged in q desperate struggle such
as that against the first Napoleon, or if she
had wide spread rebellion in India to deal
with. the suppression of which would he vital
to the maintenance OF her empire over her
vast dependencies IL Asia. However warmly
we may sympathize with the cause which
Fenianism represents, not III the sense of being
an .insurrectonarY element, but as the solemn
protest of deeply injured people against the
accumulated wrongs of centuries of oppressive
rule We must admit that the Fenians of Ire
land have fearful odds 90 contend against iii
taking the field The general rising expected
Yesterday was not even attempted Probably
the rebellion is ended, but if another effort is
made it. like those preceding, will certainly
be put down, tramplcd out" in the Jamaica
10 al tvifb ~ nd
shot. or stranged with halter. The sense of
insecurity and danger which recent events
have awakened will make the Government
more visant aud active than ever Carl
sons viii be reinforced; g,inboats will be
| kept at hand ready for active service;
| tho Irish constabulary will be increased
and spies without number will be on the alert
to ferret out sedition. We can easily under
stand how patriotic Fenians should dcplore
| these partial. and, az it is alleged premature
outbreaks, for their failure must inevitably have
the effect of not only disheartcnng in a measure,
| the adherents OF the cause but of adding ma
! teIially 10 the power Of the Government, and
placing it on high vantage ground in the
struggle,
What. then, of the future Of Fcnansmi
for it IS of some Importance that this point
should be calmly considered. Its efforts in
the direction OF militant action havo proved
utterly abOrtive. The raid on Canada vas
failure, and the outbreaks in Ireland have not
met with any better success. Fenianism pro-
| fesses TO aim at achieving the independence of
| Ireland, and it proposes to accomplish this by
! force Of arms Is there, we ask, any chance of
its succeeding in such an enterprise7 We
think not, and for the reasons we have stated; ;
beside which, it must be borne in mind that
the organization has i'll Ireland itself q most
formidable moral power to contend with in
the open, vehement hostility of the Roman
Catholic clergy But if the independence of Ire
land is a dream not likely to be fulfilled in the
present generation by means of Fenian-
ism as a fighting power, there are other
vitally important objects which the organiza-
| ton, if prudently managed, might prove largely
| instrumental in accomplishing. If national in
dependence s, for the present, out Of the question,
that is no reason why united and strenuous
effort in the way of political combination and
concerted action, might not be made to secure
| the immediate redress of Irelands wrongs.
| And it is here we think we see favorable OPP
portunity whereby the patriotic aspirations of
the brotherhood might be fulfilled without
further clash of arms or shedding of blood.
What is there to prevent the people of Ireland
making common cause with the people of En-
gland in demanding justice at the hands of the
Oligarchy that has hitherto systematically
ignored the rights of the masses in both coun-
tries, and in insisting upon having their rights7
There is community of suffering as we'll as
of interest between the two peoples which
ought to draw them together and make them