New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-03-12
Mr.. DIsRAELrS IRISH roLIcK

IL 1he London Morning Post, tradltionally
the organ of the British Ministry, may be cred
tied. Mr. Dsraeli does not see his course very
clearly on the Irish Reform Question, and Is
disposed To await the result of Investigations
by Commissions. One has already been ap-
pointed on the Church Establishment, another
will be- appointed on the relations of landlord
and tenant; and until these shall report, Mr..
Disraei and the British people, unless prccpi-
tated into action by the irrepressble spirit OF
Fenianism. will have few months time in nd
diton to tie half century they hayo already
enjoyed for reflection. Meanwhile, tho only
political measure to which Mr. D.srael has
yet advanced is the Substituting Of Irish Rail
ways, which is a thoroughly English policy,
since its whole aim is to render Irish agricul-
tura products cheaper in English markets, and
TO give British manufacturers and traders, If
possible, a more exclusive possession of what
little is left of the Irish market for mrrcl.aE-
disc.
1t is guarantee of essential progress however,
that the two leading Commissions whose in
quiries will excite the interest and form the
basis of the legislation Of Parliament during
the present session relate TO the Irish Question,
which is now confessed by all to be the over
topping and all-engrossing problem in British
politics, as Slavery was in ours II few years
ago. Mr.. Disraelis Ministry will depend for
its success upon the wisdom with which it shall
treat this question. A revolution of some kind
in ireland is inevitable. England cannot pre-
vent it, But she may by great promptness
and liberality be able to determine whether
the revolution shall be within the Union or out
"a 4. t.ahay
Its small base OF English Protestant loyalty
was never adequate to sustain its sky-picrcing
SUBMITS of Catholic hostility and Celtic discOn-
tent. Whatever base existed when it was
launched mo the Union half a century ago
has been slowly melting away under
the enfecbling influences of British
craftsmanship, and now the world awaits in
ireland that grand national Overturning which
shall cause Ireland TO rest on the broad and
true basis of the Irish people, rather than on
its narrow apex of English absentee landlords.
While the Fcnian organization has been sub
iected 20 as intense and cOntemptuOus rldlcule,
for tho inadequacy of its means to the end 1t
had in view as our anti-Slavery agitatOrs
formerly were, events are thickenng which seem
to indicate that it has been powerful educator,
and that its "war for an idea" may soon ter
inmate as successfully as our own The Rus
sells and GladstOues of England, like our Ev-
eretts and Websters, deprecate an agitation to
which they have 10 satisfactory reply. The
NagIes, Burkcs, and Lynches, styled lunatics
and murderers by the English Conservatives,
are the John Browns of the impending crisis
and revolution in Ireland. The Brights and
John Stuart Mill, whose sympathies lead them
to predict the triumph Of democracy in such u
struggle, stand, like the annunciatOrs of
the iuepressible conflict in America in
that radical and foremost position, which in
revolutionary epochs is the stepping stone to
almost unbOunded responsibility and power
Insignificant us have appeared the means, and
absurd rs have seemed the plans of the Fenian
agitators, they have at last brought the British
Government TO confess that its utmost energies
are required to chcckmate them, and this
affords the best assurance that they never vii!
be checkmated. For the British Government,
as Mr.. Mill declares, are not only so stupid as
not to know what the Irish people require, but
they do not know and cannot be made to learn
how little they know. Hence Mr.. Mill declares
that Fenianism has passed into that secondary
and difficult stage, when demand for specific