Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-01-28
No. l3
IRELAND FOR THE IRISH.

The charge so emphatically made By
the historian Froude, that the Irish
people are quarrelsome and have never
been able to agree among themselves
seems now, for once, triumph antly re-
fatea y ~ the lie Success G. G. TIE Tie 1aone riie
movement. There may be wide d.
vergence of opinion among individuals
but there is also general anxiety 10
sink that divergence in united actioa
for great end. The extreme men,
who are "repealers" in the sense OF
O'Connell, yield to what they see to
be the settled conviction of the masses
of the Irish people. Isaac Butt. tho
authoc of home rule, is indefatigabie
in giving moderate counsel aud sug>
gesting wise expedients. He carries
the country with him by the strong
practical sense which he brings to
bear upon each detail. His views are
statesmanlike aud his scheme combines
loyalty to the British crown with local
legislation and ministerial Independence
for Ireland The 'Irish Home Rule
League" which he has formed gives
nucleus to the agitation, shape and
policy TO the party, and an organized
support to the Irish members who are
to champion it in the imperial Parlia-
meut.
England will now no longer have to
deal only with what she has been, bat
too apt to regard as vague aud vision
ary demand, indefinite in it's terms and
lnchoate in form. Some of the leading
London papers are still pleased to speak
Of home rule as failure, and to deny
its popularity. Such misrepresenta-
tions have nearly reached the linn OF
The effect which they are designed u
produce. The demand for selt-gov-
ernment Will come from that beauti-
ful capital which is even now decaving
under the commercial mildew Of Fog
| sh domination; not as a cry or as alb
boleth of rebellion, but as grave, pre-
c,se, just, and perfectly constitutional
appeal. 1t will come backedi by an
undoubted majority Of the Irish people;
Endorsed by spiritual and temporal
leaders; enforced by an earnest and
organized body provided with the ''sin
ews of war" and sustained by the adj
vocacy of statesmen and orators whose
abilities cannot be despised, represent
my undeniable evils aud suggesting
sole adequate remedy. Home rule
must be met by argument, and proba-
bly,, if rejected, by absolute force
Hungary is an example Of what Ire
land might be By the concession of
local autonomy. Hungary was once
the Erin of Austria Austria gave
her self-government, and Hungary is
now the most loyal, peaceful, and pros
porous member Of the Austrian Em-
plre. What Ireland asks is all the
more reasonable as it is no violation OF
British constitutional principles. There
is an absolute justice in the appeal hat
the Irish should regulate their o~=
affairs. An Irish Parliament ON Col
lege Green would still acknowledge the
British sovereign, and the powers Of
the Parliament at Westminster to dead
with imperial affairs. The cause Of
home rule calls, therefore, for the
! sympathy of all who desire to witnes
the long oppressed isle free, prosperous,
and con:ented; and England, by grant
ing the wishes of its people, would ex-
perience the incalculabie relief of =
| reconciliation which no lesser conces-
sion can ever hope to bring about
Inter Ocean.