The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-11

Tho Threatened Meeting in Hyde Park
What VIII the Government DO 1.-THE
Two Public Guests of Ireland-The Prince
of Wales and Marshal MacMahon.
We learn by the cable that the action of the
Irish government In suppressing the Fenian
amnesty meeting in Dublin has provoked a
great deal of feeling in England, and that an
indignation meeting is to be held in Hyde Park
next Sunday to protest, in the name of the
English people, against this fragrant and out
rageous interference with the fright Of assem-
blage." This curiously agrees with what we
predicted few days ago as the probable plan
of campaign Of Mr.. Mcguire and other promi-
nent Irish leaders to obtain the repeal of the
tation would be, we said, an attempt to cult
vate an entente cordiaIe between the English
and Irish masses, and to show both peoples
that their common enemy was that privileged
feudal class which has instigated the oppres-
sion Of Ireland and has brought about
the EQUALIZATION of the English peasan-
try. The proposed gathering in Hyde
Park proves, indeed, that this mutual
sympathy already exists, thanks, doubt
less, to the organized exertions of the
men in both countries who aim at revolution
izing the British empire. John Bright has
long Swallowed forth such a policy in his
speeches and in his acts; and we have little
doubt that national prejudice and jealousy
will in time be succeeded by the esprit
corps engendered by the sense of a common
interest and the enthusiasm of common
struggle. All over Europe kings and mil
lionnaires are complaining that the spirit of
nationality is decaying among their Victims
and that it is no longer possible to indame the
mind of the artisan of one country against the
artisan Of another. The masses of the people
in all civilized countries are, indeed, beginning
to believe that the grand struggle that affects
their welfare-ay, even their honor and
dignity as mems struggle between classes,
not struggle between nationalities. Eng
lishmen and Irishmen seem in this respect to
have caught the spirit of the age; and they
will stand together to abolish the rank abuses
and right the wicked wrongs that have for
thousand years ministered to the amusement
and the profit of selfish aristocracy.
AS to the attack of the police upon gather
ing in Phoenix Park, and the bloodshed in
which it resulted, there can be but one opinion
among thoughtful men. 1t was q foolish
blunder on the part of the Lord Lieutenant
We may grant, for the sake of argument, that
the people had no right to meet in public
park, which nominally belongs to the crown,
though it is admitted that they had right to
assemble in a private hall or upon private
property. But how absurd to resent such a
slight stretching of the undisputed right into
a great political crime! A sensible ruler
would have let Mr. Sullivan and his colleagues
talk to their hearts content. 1t is not the most
itself in the public gaze. After all, what harm
could they have done? And then, how ILL
timed was this determined and bloody pro-
vocation of disloyalty The Prince of Wales
had gone on starring" tour through the
country to revive by his presence the old Celtic
respect for king, or kings son. He had
talked already hundreds of yards of pleasant
but meaningless blarney, and might perhaps
have ultimately succeeded in winning the
affections of his Irish subjects but for the
pig headed folly of the authorities. We believe
that he intended, as last and winning card for
popularity, to play exactly the very measure
that the meeting called for-the amnesty of
the imprisoned Fenians. Nothing but the
greatest stupidity on the part of the Lord
Lieutenant can explain the appeal to brute
force at such crisis as this.
The consequence OF the riot has been to
intensity q hundred fold the hatred of the
English monarchy by the Irish people. The
Prince of Wales is denounced in every
paper that appeals to the masses, and
he is Kissed and hooted, or at best
received with an insulting silence, when
ever he appears in the streets. What
contrast to these expressions of aversion and
contempt will be the hearty welcome accorded
by every Irishman to the gallant Marshal
MacMahon during his coming visit
to the land of his ancestors! The French
hero may, perhaps, pass under fewer trumphal
arches and eat not quite so many public
dinners as the Prince; but in all that makes
up true welcome-enthusasti crowds, faces
beaming pleasure. eyes flashing admiration,
threats sonorous with hearty cheers-we think
the Marshal will have by far the better time.
But what does the British government intend
to do about the coming demonstration in Hyde
Park? Will it dare repeat in London next
Sabbath the bloody work of last Sunday in
Dublin? We think not. the English people
are as resolute and earnest in defending the
rights their fathers won as their fellow sub
jects across the Irish Channel, and the govern
ment, in these latter days Of almost universal
suffrage, dare not awake their wrath. Per-
haps If it is wet day and the meeting is a
slim one the authorities may venture to dis