New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-06-03
THE POWER or REvOLUTTON.

TIE POWER or RETOLUTTON
Mr. Disraeli is understood as having with
drawn his opposition to the Irish Church Bill
in the House of Commons; and although this
surrender of the ministry is not decisive of the
fate of the Irish Establishment, the bill having
yet to pass the great Tory stronghold of tho
House of Lords, it is Mt least ominous of
speedy revolution. The Irish Church is falling,
and the cause of its overthrow is the persistent
hostility of the Irish people. Mr.. Gladstone's
bill of redress is not free act of justice
prompted by the uprightness of the British
Government, but has been painfully wrung
from the crown by the revolts, threats, yio-
lence-we may add the crimes-of the Fenian
enthusiasts. Heartily as we may detest the
foul outmges which have been committed IN
the name of this organization, we must not for
get that with much evil they have indirectly
done much good. Utterly as the Fenans may
have failed in the main purpose of their exist
ence, they have achieved a certain measure oil
substantial success A few months ago, when
tho men of 1ipperary and Limerick rose against
the British Empire, nothing could have
seemed moro unavailing than their strug-
giles. Gibraltar is not more firmly rooted
than is the British throne in Ireland, and
it was folly for few unarmed peasants
to rebel against the Power whose drums
beat one uninterrupted roll around the world.
England can surround Ireland with her fleets,
and place q relocated sentry at the door of
every cabin. When the Fenians rebelled last
year it was not necessary for the British Gov
eminent to use more than q fraction OF its pow
er; it required more money and men to make
war against barbarian Abyssinia than were
needed to subdue the united Instruction of the
Irish patriots. They plotted, organized, collect
ed arms and stores, prepared for long and stub
born fight and, choosing their own time, stimuli
taneously rebelled in every county of the island.
1t availed them nothing; with one tap of her
finger England Knocked the breath out of the
Fenian rebellion, and in two weeks had dis
persed all its bands and imprisoned all its lead
ers. 1t had been easy to predict this; even the
Fenians anticipated defeat-but, nevertheless,
they fought.
But Fenanism did not entirely fail. There
has never been rebellion without cause, and
there can never be peace in a country while
the people have wrongs for which they de-
mand redress. Even In the Shareholders Re-
bellion, we find the wrongs of the negro ut
the bottom of it. That rebellion did not begin
at the South hereafter, it will be said that
our war sprang from the revolt Of the con-
science of the North against the national do
minion of Slavery. If it had not come in 1860,
it would have come in 1870; and, if it had
failed in 1865, the struggle would have been
renewed again and again, till Slavery had
been overthrown. Twenty generations of Gre
tans periodically rebelled against the Turk,
and that warfare will never cease till Crete
has achieved her freedom. Respect for the
origin of our own Republic should prevent an
intelligent American from sneering at the
heroic protest embodied in these desperate and
defeated revolutions. They are the more
heroic because they were doomed to defeat
1t is easy for brave man to go into q battle
with victory before him, but 1t requires a
higher courage to nail your flag to the mast,
put match to the powder magazine, and blow
up the ship. The Irish have attempted nu-
merous rebellions, but in not one of them
could their leaders seriously hope for success
Success comes to them at last, though not in
the form they expected. The Fenian rebellion
was ANONYMOUSLY crushedj it was buried IN
the graves of those brave and unhappy men
who were hunted to death by British soldiers
among their native hills. What was left of
the Irish rebellion when the sun-burst on the
green flag of Erin was eclipsed in the ire
trievable ruin of their armsH The principle
was left The protest had been made. by
fighting, even against hope, Ireland had proved
herself in earnest and the cause which had
been shot down in Connaught and hung In
Manchester, suddenly reappeared in the British
Parliament, and triumphed by British votes.
The abolition of tho Irish Church Establish
ment is unquestionably a Fenian triumph. 1t
is the direct result of the rebellion OF last
Summer. No sooner had the English recovered
from their alarm and Indignation than they
perceived that the only way to put an end to
Fenianism was TO concede the just demands OF
Ireland. In the debate in the House of Com
mons, Mr.. Disraeli said there was no danger
in Fenianism but, with greater wisdom, the
Commons acknowledged that there is always
danger in wrohgdoing, Parliament has adj
mitted that Feniauism had some justification.