The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-08-20
BYA. M. eULL1vAN, EDITOR OF THE DUBLIN
NATION AND NJ. P. FOR COUNTY LoUTH.

NATION AND NJ. P. FOR COUNTY LoUTH.
Catholic World, for July and AugustJ
Concluded
There was, there could be, but little OF
general plan over the whole field it was
fight ali round, the whole island being
simultaneously engaged. This WAS Mr..
Gladstone's able generalship; to prevent
the Home Rule leaders from being able
to concentrate their resources on one place
at time. Nevertheless, they were his In
feriors neither in ability nor in strategy,
as the event proved. Upon the vantage
points which he deemed most precious they
delivered their heaviest fire and In no case
upsuccessfully.* The contests that, each
in some peculiar way, most forcioly de-
monstrated the determination OF the people,
s. their intense devotion to the Home Rule
cause, were: Cavan, an Ulster county,
where for the first time since the reign of
James H., a Catholic Zone of two Home
Rulee) was returned Louth, where the
utmost power of the government was con-
centrated, all in vain, to secure Mr.. Forte
scue's seat; Drogheda, where Mr.. Whit
worth, pripcey benefactOr to- the town,
and an estimable Protestant gentleman,
was rejected because he was net Home
Ruler Wexford, where the son of Sir
James Power a munificeDt patron of Cath
Ollie charities, was rejected by priests and
people for the same reason Limerick
County, where young Wing Catholic
eQure, whose hosting of Home Rule was
disbelieved in by the electors, received only
about one vote to eight cast for more
Trustworthy man chosen from the ranks
of the people, although the former gentle
man was believed IN and strenuouely sup
ported by the Catholic clergy and Kildare,
where the son of the Duke of Leinster,
who owned nearly every acre in the coun
ty, was utterly routed
At length the last gun was fired, the last
seat had been lost and won, and as the
smoke of battle lifted from the scene men
gazed eagerly to see how the campaign had
gone. The Home Rulers had triumphed
all along the line! Strictly speaking, they
failed as to one, and only one, of the seats
which they Overwhelmingly, Trslee,
where the ODonoghue "a former National
leader, now an anti Home Ruler) succeeded
against them by three votes. They had
returned sixtyf men pledged to their
programme. In the late Parliament the
Irish represen tation stood So Liberals, 80
Conservatives, and 10 Home Rulers. 1t
now stood IL Liberals, 81 Conservatives,
and 60 Home Rulers: The national party
thus outnumber all others, Wing and
Tory, combined; and, for the first time
since the Union, that measure stood con-
demned by a ajority OF the parliamentary
representatives. of the Irish nation.
Not in ireland alone was Mr.. Gladstone
overwhelmed by defeat, his clever stroke
OF UDe
The English elections also went bodily
against him. In the middle of the eight
be resigned, and the minister who met the
new Parliament with the seals of office in
his bard and the smile of victory on his
countenance was Benjamin Dfsraeli, the
Conservative leader.
There was considerable uneasiness in
England when the Irish elections were
found to be going for the Home Rulers,
until it turned out that the Disraeli party
had hundred majority on the British vote.
The empire is saved" gasped the
alarmed Epglishmen /; " we were lost if such
q Home Rule phalanx found parties nearly
equal in the House of Com mons. They
would hold the balance of power and die
tate terms Let us give thanks for 80 pro-
videptial Tory majority" There was
much writing in the English newspapers in
this strain. Trey took it for granted that
the Home Rulers were baked" or check
mated, for a time at least, by this unexpec
ed Tory preponderance. 1t cost them over
a year to tiud out that no one rejoiced more
than did the Home R1le leaders in secret
over this came etate of things that it was
GROWING advantage to the Home Rulers !
as a party to have the Liberals in oppesi- |
ton for four or five years.
Returning a number of mtn as Home |
Rulers did not necessarily constitute them |
a political party. Neither would a resolR- |
ton on their part 30 to act altogether carry |
sum % PuI pOSS' no uISCl piihN, GHC |
unity, the homogeneity, which Constitute |
the real power of party cone not by |
mere resolving they may begin by resolu-
ton, but they grow by custom and practice |
Men behind the scenes in the Home Rule |
councils knew that serious uneaeiness pre-
vailed amongst the leaders lest their ranks |
might be broken up or shaken by the pros |
pect or reality of a return of the Liberals |
to power too soon-ie e., before they, the |
Home Rulers, had had time to settle down |
or solidify into thoroughly compact body,
and before discipline and habit had accGs,
toned them to move and act together.
Four or five years in training in opposition
was the opportunity they most wanted and
desired. From a dozen to q ecore of their
rank and file we're men who bad besn Glad
stonian Liberals, and whose fealty would
be doubtful if in 1875 the disestablisher OF
the Irish Church called upon them to follow
him rather than Mr.. Butt. These men
would at that time have felt themselves
" Liberals first, and Home Rulers after"
Even in any case, and as it is, there are six