New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-04-05
IRISH CUSTOMS.
z pArRICK,s DAY IN DUBLIN.

fraon an occ coKREsPoEDEsT or TIE rRIBuEsl
DrRLry. March 1.-THE weather has not
been propitiOus for national festival March has not
come In like lamb Ike lion either. IL has rather
come in ike bear with sore head, and n has eonun-
ned In it, sulen and irritable mood since, with an
east or northeast wind nasty drizzng rain and the
c,ass steady near the freezing point II charge of
homicide were brought against The sun, it would he
much easier 10 establish defense OF aiib than IN
some murder cases have read Of IN this country
eould positively swear that have not seen The lace
OF the accused for q week. though wa locking out
an1iously for HE appearance.
Dublin is famous for dirt, and this day the streets
were at their drtiest while the atmosphere wac IN the
"muggy" state which 30 dsgusted the Queen and
would have disguised 81 Patrick II be alive to-day
II il question whether the Saint would tolerate the
Dublin Corporation Not that there IL anything OF The
reptile about IT, but because does not mind rs proper
business II talks necessarily but does nothing IL
seems al mouth. II has hands, IL does nothing with
them but putt them In the rate payers pockets II
has been talking many years OF widening Cariysle
Bridge-a thing easily done-but that great artery be
tween the north south dangerous now a. il vas
when the ate Alderman Reynolds took the WORK IN
hand-no not IN hand, In mOuth-n the DAYS OF OCon-
nell The Ilfey u stil canal OF mud-seNage
OF the most n0some and deeterious kind, though the
question Of publication has been aeItted for whole
generation, and the 10 Is agitatsd the more II
oneuds the -enses There is great debating in the Cor
poraton on Imperial questions University education
often in very ungrammstical English-and on Home
Rule What a pity the members do not Try 70 convince
the English by deeds that they the mOst competent TO
manage their own affairs. The corporations generally
are now actually begging the Imperial Government 70
take charge Of Irish railways, lust a. Dr. keatlng
tells us in his history that about 10 years before the
English invasion the chiefs deputation 20 Rome
begging the Pope 70 take the sovereignty OF ireland
because they constantly fighting about Their
boundaries they were afraid they would eIerminaie one
another IN the end. And why they dd NJ has always
appeared 20 me miracle Was that miracle performed
FOR the benefit OF America
The viceregaI Government, whether Wing or Tory
has always made II point 20 honor the national fesd-
val The trooplng the ool1rs" and relieving guard m
the UPPER castleIyard used % be very lively ceremony
The veeroy his military staff and The Court ladies'
came ut on the balcony while the bands played God
Save the Queen" Patrick's Day" "Garryowen," &c
The poor natives danced merrly and scrambled wildly
but ood-humoredly for money that flung down
among them. The late Lord Carlisle great such
occasions ways wearing on hrs breast bunch Of sham
rocks almost as bg his smoking cap That genial no
bleman quite AZ home among the lriHh, and their
personal liking for him great that they were
not angry with him when he aronted their nationality
bv telling the Royal Dublin Society that the great
btiou Of the country should De- 20 acqu itself success
fully az the dairy and pantry OF England! Ear Spencer
has higher notions than this OF eands destiny though
not such poet or 30 seutim entail ms predecessor.
But to-day he stole a march the disciples Of St
Patrick There was "trO0pIng the col0rs' az the
Castle The ceremony unexpectedly transferred 70
the espanade at the ROYAL Barracks, near the Park
and by the time the people had rudged up there in the
mud the military display nearly over. What is the
meaning Of the ehangei Did his Exceency apprehend
cries for Home Rule or for "he release OF the Fenian
prisoners or Down with Gladstone ?" such things
not unlikely the midst Of the excitement about the
Dublin University bi and the Ministerial crisis, when
the national journals ready % send the deceased
Government where Of the members Of the House
OF Commons sent the defeated bil-to Hades. Under
these circumstances the Lord Lieutenant probably used
wise discretion in not allowing the Castle yard % be
packed with en- excited crowd perhaps In the greater
part Fenian.
The Irish people national az they are delight IN the
pomp and spendor Of the British troops They do not
seem conscious OF the significance OF the fact OF their
Overwhelming numbers. suppose Dublin is the most
strongly garrisoned city in the world. Few strangers
are aware OF the number and extent OF the military
barracks by which il eirdled. There are the Royal
Barracks near PhRnix PARK; Island Bridge Barracks.
higher up on the Lfey; snipst. Barracks behind
the Castle, which occupy the whole length OF
the street az one side; Beggar's Bush Barracks,
on the way % sandymouut Portobeo Barracks, Rath-
moor and A borough Barracks the way Clontarf
The Metropolitan Police force army in itself-abOut
200 gigantic men, all trained soldiers, and moving
about day and night pairs al over the city. When We
think OF al these forces spenddy equipped IN the most
efficient state fed clad trained, mounted As 20 keep
them In the most perfect condition with their stores
their artillery and their c0mmssarat aud reflect that
among the National, Republican, Fenian, or Home
Rule party there D. not a single regiment the poe
sibIuty Of Organizing one what We % say OF the
threats ~ armed the talk about fighting
in the columns national journalist They remind me
OF diminutive tailor whom / once saw in an Irish
fair De had provoked quarrel with
gigantic countrymau who owed him for the
making Of his coat but denied the debt The
little tailor talked loudly and threatened much. but
seemed 70 hesitate about st0rmIng the Of strength
that stood quietly beside him. His friends, however,
caught him aud dragged him away. The moment he
thus found himself friendly arrest be waxed fun
ous kicked. plunged squared shouted. madly insisted
on being the BIG antagonist threatened 20 biacAen
both has eyes TO send every Of hs teeth down he
throat % break every his skin, aud 70 kick him
INTO such bloody that his mother would not
know him The tailor had the excuse OF whisky for his
folly: but what excuse We make FOR the national
journals which constantly ply their poor unarned read
ers with stmulants and smash the military power
Of England when they know by sad experience that a
single policeman able TO beat half score OF them and
a single piece Of artillery % chase thousand
Things have been very quiet here IN Ireland to-day;
hui telegram announces meeting Of 10000 OF these
defenseless Irishmen Hyde Park, marching under
flag with a motto Home Rule, or else -" IL il not
thus that a nation IL independence The motto
In question did well enough for the Irish Volunteer
armed and drilled In tens OF thousands aud commanded
by the gentry in But sueh taor-ike vapor-
ing only makes the country OF Grattan and oConnell
laughincstock However that may be. the dear peren-
MAJ shamrock is still same-ever fresh and green
What Irsh nsart rejoice az the sight Of IT, grow
ing In Il native sod How Il 20 be 80 specially
associated with the festival Of st. PatrcZi Who was
he's The Venerable Bede, though writing the history OF
the Irish Church about 1000 years does not mention
h mama and seems NOT 10 have heard anything OF his