The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-04-07
POOR IRELAND!

From the NJ Y. Times
The more we con slider Mr.. Gladstones bill
for preserving the peace in Ireland, the
deeper becomes our conviction tnat it is q
measure which cannot fail to aggravate the
sufferings of the Irish people, and to render
the ancient differences between England and
Ireland perfectly hopeless of adjustment.
The irish people may well say, eff this is
what we are to get from a liberal govern
ment, the sooner We fall under the compare
lively gentle rule of the Tories the better"
Let us look into one or two of the provisions,
as expounded by the Pail Mall Gazette
which heartily approves of the bill and
only grumbles because it was not introduced
before.
Resident magistrates and county inspectors
are to have warrants placed in their hands
authorizing them to search any mans house
for arms at all hours of the day or night. If
A has a grudge against b, he has only to give
the nearest magistrate hint that the said b
has arms in his possession, or that he has
written threatening letter. BIS premises
may then be ransacked, and if a pistol is
found, or a scrap of writing which seems to
connect him with threatening letters, he may
be sent to prison and kept to hard labor for
two years. In the time of the French Revo-
luton, when any man who was declared "Sus-
pect" was torn away from his family and sent
to prison, greater wrongs were not possible
than under the system of espionage thus esta-
blished by Mr.. Gladstone.
If a man is found walking out of doors after
| dark in proclaimed districts he may be ar
rested. ''If he can show no lawful purpose
| or excuse in being abroad at night he may be
imprisoned for six months" Thus if man
| went out to smoke pipe with his neighbo1
he might expiate the crime by six months
| imprisonment.
Inns may be closed at sunset by the police
and suspicious strangers" lodged in Jail
People had better be careful how they &c
travelling in Ireland for some time to come
Newspapers which give offense to the Govern
ment are not to be prosecuted according tc
the ordinary forms of law, but the police ar,
empowered to walk into the Office, seize tn,
type and machinery, turn out the editors, ant
lock the premises up. No such despotic mea
sure has been attempted in any 'free" coun
try for many a long day.
If witness is summoned before magis
trate, and cannot or will not give evidence
he may be summarily committed to prison
for six months. Why not revive the p6tn
fort ct d1re at once? 1t would have beer
quite worthy of the general character of thi
bill. Persons accused under most of tn
provisions of the act will have no right t.
demand a trial by jury, but may be sent t.
Jail by the justices off-hand.
There were always plenty of ''sneakin
spies" in Ireland who were only too ready t
turn round and ''inform" upon any on
against whom they had spite. Hencefort
this class will have their hands qaite full
AS blood-money is to be paid to the informe
the game will be lucrative in itself, and affor
the opportunity for wreaking private malice
/ Thus, once more is Ireland to be handed owe
to base-hearted spies and relentless police
Men are to be brought up for hurried tria
and deprived of their liberty under the Unfit
ence of panic or a desire to 'please the Go,
ernment." What can we look for but sorro
and disaster from a law which sanctions a
these cruel outrages? Mr.. Gladstone hi
made false step which ought to result in h
ruin, as it will assuredly leave an everlastin
| stain upon his reputation.