The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-01-07
THE WRONGS OF IRELAND.

4
GIadstone on Ire1and-What ought Il
be England's Policy toward the Irish
People-The Most Important Political
Question Of the Day.
In speech at Southport England, on the
10th ult., MIR. Gladstone discussed Fenianism
the wrongs of Ireland, and the remedies fol
these wrongs. We quote few passages:
It is, to soy the very least, a matter Of the
utmost sadness to consider that, after Blk hun
England and Ireland, that Union Of heart an6
spirit which is absolutely necessary for the
welfare of the country has not yet been brought
| about It is impossible to eIRggerate the gray.
ity of the fact, or, may add, the gravity OF the
responsibilities which it brings upon the gov.
eminent OF this country; and, gentlemen, when
I say upon the governments OF thls country,
use that expression because in former times
| the influence of the people on the direction Of
public policy, although for many purposes ii
has always had great weight, was far from
being unanimous and united.
| Past history teaches US that there is mar
| yellous power of enchantment in the promoting
of just and fair dealing.
| would not for q moment listen to any plea
rate policy for England, or for Scotland, OF
| Ireland; but this venture to say, that in all
matters except that no man ought to be able
| to say that any one Of these three countries is
governed according to the traditions, the views
and the ideas Of another.
We have not in Ireland that degree and
amount Of active loyalty to and respect for the
| law which is necessary In order to constitute q
thoroughly weIl-ordered and united communi-
ty. And we have this painful circumstance,
| that while large portions Of the Irish popula-
ton from year to year have left the shores OF
| the country to pursue their fortunes in q for
eicn land, they have carried with them along
with patient and tender attachment to the
soil, something that almost might be described
as fierce resentment, an lne1nnguishable
aversion to the authority, the government, and
the institutions of the country; ana TOR my
part, gentlemen, I own am not satisfied when
1 hear people say 4" Yes, that is so, but it is
because they are 30 unreasonable" Well, they
may be unreasonable are ali unreasonable.
more or less-we are all unreasonable, espe-
cially when we have suffered w!ong.l
We must satisfy ourselves that as regards
those causes Of legislation which bear upon the
permanent condition Of q people we have set
ourselves in the right. What we want is that
those sympathies in Ireland which now hang
and float bewildered between law and lswless-
ness shall be brought into active alliance with
it: what we want is to have Ireland like Scot
land, 30 that at last, and after sn these gene
rations, ne may be enabled, instead OF hearing
in every corner Of Europe the most painful
commentaries upon the policy OF England TO-
ward Ireland-we may be able to look our
fellow Europeans Of every nation in the face
and challenge any Of them to deny that we
have administered to the sister islands the
full benefit of the principle OF equal justice.
Old and inveterate diseases are not to be cured
in day.
You must be prepared for long and patient
well-doing toward Ireland up to the full bond
of reason and justice, though not one jot be-
yond them, if you wish to obtain ultimately for
yourselves or for your children that end for
which never despair, viz: OF redeeming the
reproach of total political incapaoity to assimi-
late to ourselves en- island within three hours
of our shores, and which has been under our
dominating influence now for six hundred
years, but believe myself that in the case OF
Ireland there is much even In the method OF
treatment as distinguished from the substance
of measures in kindness, in sympathy, in re-
cognition, in equality, in frank union, in all
where we can unite, that will Of themselves
have great effect in Ireland; and one thing 1
will say will not dol will not be party to
endeayor to bribe Ireland into union with this
country by the mere vulgar expedient OF doses
Une UI Jne grenI LuIiISr, ure
of all we have in view is this, we wish to raise
Ireland to the dignity Of perfect political free
dom and the sense Of responsibility which at
tends it {: but you cannot raise Ireland to that
dignity Of political freedom, il you seek to de-
press her spirit and to fix for her servile po-
sition by doing for her in matters Of public
money that which you would refuse ID the citi-
zens of countries Of whose public spirit and
self-respect you have formed high estimate.
One word, and one only, on the subject OF
Parliamentary reform in the representation OF
Ireland, because that, am bound to say, l
take it for granted. make no doubt, looking
at the declarations of the government and pro-
priety of the case, that We Shall have for Ire
land measure of reform not less equitable and
liberal in its spirit than that which has been
passed for England, and l hope more free from
particular provisions than are open TO reason
able exceptions.
There is still another matter that cannot be
omitted-it is the state of the religious institu-
tions Of Ireland. -,
You have got small portion OF Ireland hold
ing that form Of belief, which is, L apprehendi,
The belief of the majority in England, and,
therefore. the English ideas and opinions in
fayor of the English form OF Government are
carried into Ireland, and the national endow-
ments of the country are given exclusively to
the religion OF small number OF persons,
comprising among themselves almost the
whole wealth OF the country, while the multi
tude of the poor Of the country are left to shit
for themselves-t is to say, religious Inc
quality exists in Ireland in its most glarng
form. Now, gentlemen, we would not endure
that in our country. II there we're roman
Catholic country, with dominant Roman
Catholic majority. endeavoring to enforce upon
ma the simple converse of that which We en-
49, ,,non !Trolond IN anply against us the