New-York tribune., 1867-03-09
THE IRISH REBELLION

America is with Ireland. Governments may
he bound by International laws, but the sym
Dotbies of the people are untettered' n 'hii"
of admiration ran through the Land yesterday
when the telegraph flashed the news thaC ire
land il in rebellion, and strikes one more DioV
for indeDcndence. Nothing can crush her spiril
or destroy her hopes. Since tho day Urea,
Britain adopted a policy which made the lSliiu
little more than recruiting ground tor Dii'''n
armies, her action has been one unceasihg pro-
test. In Parliament, OCOnnell; In reDeillon'
Fitzgerald, EmmCt, 0'Brien, havo attempted 10
win back the rights of their country, ana each
failure has but added energy to the next eiior''
Millions of Irishmcn have left their homes
despairing of success, to seek freedom Ill
America, and emigration Is not the least
evidence of the injustice OF Engugh rue
Yet, though drained Of her population
poverty-stricken, subjugatod, with BI1tsh
garrison in every town, and British fleet on
every coast, Ireland will struggle To he free,
and tho American heart beats IN sympathy
with the brave people who thus measure their
weakness with the strength Of monarchy that
not very long ago was reCkOncd one OF the
great powers of the world The odds are ter
rible, but that makes the rebellion more
heroic Ireland is again to be defeated. and for
that reason commands more sympathy and re-
spcct
All we know Of this rebellion is the English
story. reluctantly told. and no doubt but
small part Of the truth But it i plain that
this is the long deferred general uprising of
the Fenians upon which everything IS rIsked.
There is rebellion in the North, the south, tho
East, the West. They seem TO have risen
suddenly in MI parts of the island"
say the London kilograms. Every where,
according TO the English account. they have
been defeated. Eight miles south of Dublin
two hundred were taken prisoners, and Dono-
hue, their leader. Was killcd. Fifteen hundred
Rebels threatened Limerick they fought at
Tallaght, at kimaock. at Killelagh. at Kill
fananc, at Clonmcl. at CaryfOrt. at Holy Cross
armed bands roam through Clare, Tippeny.
Limerick, Down, and nt night signal fires bum
on tho hill tops IN all parts of tie
island ireland is full of Irish Americans,
writes the Dublin correspondent of The
London Times, but the people give than
no aid, though they refuse to bctray their hill
ing places But tho 800 men did not hide in
ITINERARY, nor 800 at CloBmcl. nor was there
any disposition 10 hide at Killmallock, or Tai
laght It was not TO protect Ireland from the
invasion Of strangers that the British Gov
ernmcnt sent regiment after regiment into
every county, and distributed through all the
towns force Of 1900 military police.
Lord Stathnain, the commander of the
British forces, better known as Sir Hugh
Rose. who blew the Scpoys from the mouths
of cannons in India, did not merely go to
fight with Irish Americans. No, the fact Is
plain that England is fighting all Ireland and
that the American Fcniins arc but a reinforce
mcnt to the people.
These facts indicate at once the weakness
and the strength of the rebellion. 1t is strorg
because it is unanimous; it is weak because is
forces are distributed Secret orders no doubt,
were issued for general uprising at "a certain
date, but the Fcnian leaders had not the power
to unite their troops aud move with any cOi-
siderable army upon any British post Open
organization was impossible, and that effected
in secret must have been imperfect. The
Fenians are fighting in bands and not
in regiments; probably their largest body
does not number 1000 men. In such n
contest tho British troops have all the
advantage, for as long IA they protect their
Citadels and remain massed the rebels can gain
nothing. The Irish may take possession of the
country, but they win nothing by that; such n
contest differs from wars in which strategy
aims to occupy lines Of railroad and important
towns, for the Irish are fighting in their own
land, and their objective is nothing moro
than tho British army. Unless they drive
it out of Ireland, they win nothing, and
for such triumph there is not the slightest
reason to hope No doubt the plan Of the
leaders is to seize tho arms OF isolated
garrisOns, and gradually combining their forces,
to advance upon the enemy, but in the mean
while they will bo beaten in detail. England
s strong now, stronger in Ireland than ever,
because of her continental policy of peace.
The Government of tho Irish Republic
have issued proclamation which declares the
objects Of the rebellion TO DO national union,
public safety, political freedom, and the separa-
tion OF Church and State and appeal to Re
publicans throughout the world for sympathy
and support. A resolution of sympathy was
yesterday introduced into the House of Rep
rcsentatives and would evidently have been
adopted at once by large majority bad
it not awkwardly coupled with tho express
sion Of sympathy doctrines which pledge tho
United States TO interference with European
affairs. 10 was referred for this reason to tho
Committee on the Judiciary. But though the
Government is very unlikely TO adopt such %
policy, tho American people plainly show that
II is not with England they would side. Tho
haste Of that mower to recognize tho COnfcd'