The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-10-01
IRELAND.
Irish POlitics-Bruifs or Feniunism-The Church
and Land Observation-Disclosures State OF
Society.

Irish P0Iitics-Eruifs or Feniunism-The Church
and Land Observation-Disclosures State Of
Society.
DUBLIN, Sept. Is, 1870.
The national party in Ireland Is not at all so
powerful as one might be led to suppose from the
representations OF Its press. The journals in the
confidence Of that party would have US believe tina
the vast majority Of the irish people are either In
Guided in its ranks or are In way or other iden
tiled with 1t. This statement, need scarcely saw
is quite erroneous. These journals are so much in
the habit OF exaggeratng and distorting all the
great questions OF the day. 80 as to meet the Views
and wishes OF their readers, that 1t Is 10 be feared
little confidence can be placed In their veracity
Despite their asseverati0ns to the contrary. their
party is weak In numbers, and In influence It is
weaker still. Those who compose It are for the
most part farm aborers In the country and the lower
classes in the cities and towns need scarcely say
that they are also the most terate portion OF the
community. Their knowledge Of politics, In which
they take so much interest," is somewhat scanty;
and 80 false and inaccurate Is 1t that it Is more
likely to inture than to serve them; all their infor
nation ia derived from the speeches OF their leaders
and from their press. Like the Orangemen they
are patronized and encouraged BY few persons Of
wealth and authority. Their leaders, who belong
to the middle class, are men Of great ability and In
1uence. These leaders they obey In all things. Un
fortunately, they obey them too implicitly. To this
blind obedience may be ascr1bed the foolish, the
mischtevous, and, shall say, the wicked and crml
nal acts In connection with Fenianism In Ireland.
Many strange things have no doubt, been commit
ted in its name. There was no act too reckless no
hope too chimerical no project too wild or vision
airy for them to engage in and the result is that by
conduct in most cases lreprehensible they have
succeeded In bringing the cause with which
they are identified into disgrace. They never act
with prudence or moderation. They are always in
extremes always attempting impossible things, al.
ways going the wrong way about everything; and
their feelings Of disappointment in abusing those
who may have had hand In robbing them Of sue.
cess.
FRUITS OF FEN1ANrsM
DO not mean to say, however, that no GOOD has
resulted from the extravagances Of Fenianism. On
Fenans both by their writings and the1r scto n,u
have done much TO enlighten the world upon the
trisn quesuon, ana 70 bring 1t prominently before
tce OF alien establishment the evils Of reli1ons
SYSTEM granny q the anasS w1 ne
and the wretchedness and misery OF the great bulk
OF the people every issue Of the national press
forth through the length and breadth of Ireland
through ENGLAND, through Scotland through the
United States through Australia, the cry that Ire
never to be removed that the onv Zone Of tne rs
people lay in death or exile. In this way, beyond
all question, they rendered the most Invaluable ser.
vices to Their country and the Irish people owe
THE CHURCH AND LAND QUESTIONS,
But they dld not seems, calculate upon the sue
cess OF the cause they advocated with such earnest
ness and such ability: IL would appear that they
adopted the cry OF "down with the Church y not SO
much to destroy religious ascendancy establish
question, they thwarted him In every way they
could. he was innuenced, they said, BY the basest
and most unworthy motives. He merely wanted TO
overthrow A. rival to get into power to obtain the
Irish vote; there was no sincerity in his conduct,
for he had !, not s. the welfare Of the people
ends, and then like all other English statesmen, he
was sure to forget that he promised to legsae for
Ireland. Nor did mis- assailants stop here. When
he came into power and forthwith proceeded TO
fulfil his promise ne was not acting In accordance
with his own feelings and wishes; he was obliged, in
spite OF himself to adopt this course owing 10 the
attitude Of the Fenians and the threatening aspect
Of the times. When the bin was passing through
both houses of Parliament ne continued 10 be AS
sailed by the national press; his utterances and
those of his colleagues were misrepresented and
criticised In the most unjust and interruptions man
ner; and until the bill received the royal assent the
genuineness OF their sincerity was openly disa-
vowed. At last the Church was completely dises-