The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1876-12-17
THE MARCHIONESS OF QUEENSBERRY
AND MR. MITCHELL HENRY.

|
Mr. Mitchell Henry, M P, has addressed the
following letter to the editor of the Irishman :
November 90, 1876.
Sr-rhe Marchioness of Queensbesry gives
prominence to my name in q controversial 10 tteI
| in your columns of the lS5h instant, and fiGd
my self we'll abused in language of uncommon
rigor and severity. Her lad yship will have it
| that l am an Englshman. grounds that
would equally make me q Kamtschatkan, if 1
| hac chauced to have been born in that country,
and she quotes, in inverted commas, passages
porportiag to be taken from speeches of mine,
which did not deliver aud DO not recognize.
| In this furious nationality there is something
of the comic. II 1, born of Irish parents, with
| not an Eoglish blood relation in the world,
whose foI oIefathers for more than three hundred
years lived in the same spot in Ireland, as their
descendsuts do yet, become "a Foreigner" !"
because l saw the light in England, what
should be said of yonr noble correspondent,
the daughter of an Englishman, and Irish only
on one side, however illustrious that matern al
side may bet Well if l may be allowed to an
swer the inquiry, it woGld be by rejoicing. as
Ireland does, that in her case the Horation
sentiment is not dishonored, as it too often is
by the Anglo-Irish-" Ceium non aniasuns mul
tant, G"t trans mare currunt," and by hoping
that too may be considered, as far as nation
ality is concerned, qualified to fght IrelAnd's
batJle by the side of one whose sincerity
should be the last to question.
Bat, after all the hrst requisite for critic
Is accuracy and the second, which should es-
pecially characterize a lady, 10 courtesy to-
wards those from whom we differ. II is both
uncourteous aud inaccurate of the MarchioneES
OF Queens berry in her reference to me to speak
as follows: And now a little more and am
done with him for to, dGy-a little more of bis
advice to lrisbmep. / advise Irishmen (says
hey to give up the delusion (mark. deusion) of
separate political destiny from England, and
to endesvor to make the best terms they can
with Englishmen, and thereby share in their
property, their progress, and their greatness
Such is the advice of this foreigner"
These words are not mine !; they do not repre-
sent my opinion, and strongly object to such
of my observations being made to
appear AZ If they were bona ftde quotations. !
Aud here might stop were iG not time that, |
for the sake of Ireland herself, the cause of |
Home Rule should no longer be travestied by |
those WHO will not take the trouble to under
stand it.
Home Rule means a Federal arrangement
between EnEiG and and ireland similar to that
which exists IN America between the States of
.he Union.
On the other hand, if each one of the thirty
our States cJmposlnR the Union were to set up
or itself separate Republic. or separate
that would be equivalent to what is
AS the best arrangement for Ireland
y the Msrcdioness of Queensberry and her
riends.
Such, however, are not the principles of
lone Rllers. There is in America one army
ne navy, and one Customs Union, so that as I
galnsG the onter world America presents q
uited front; bat IN all other matters each {
tate Is governed by it's own parliament aud l
Is own STATE laws. Home Rulers strive to OBJ
Ain the same boon for Ireland, so that in fn- | i
ure no power earth shall have a ri iEht to a
lake laws to bind Ireland, except tho monarch l
Ireland and the Lords and Commons Of Ire l.
lrd.' Nnt"itnstandiDg the volumiuons r
'IItlDg4 of tho Marchioness of . Teens berry, it q
evident that her lady SHIP docs not under i
tand that Grattan, whJLn she q notes 80 often, ]
specially protested against the separation of d
-eAnd and EnRlat d HIS efforts were directed C
g8inst the union of the two co titries brought a
bout by the abolition Of the Irish parliament, ~
1t ne was totally opposed to tho separation of j
10 two countries. Wnat, 10 later times Francis u
eak became in Hungary, Grattan was in Ire q
nd and IL is as complete d misappTehension jt
tue MarchionesS of Queensberry To suppose IC
lat " the restoration or oar plundered coneJi. e.
!tion of 17e2' would give TO Ireland Sow n
eign independence" as it is to assert that |, G
Home Ruler, " d ssre that Great Britain "
ould be mistress OF Ireland's destinIes" l al
mire the PATRIOTISM and the zeal of the Mar O'
oness of QIeensb berry, bot zeal must be ac- al
idIpg to knowledge or il may o infinite mis- dt
lief; and at presentlt is evident that her 81
1yship neither understands the tenets Of tI
attain nor thoee of Home Rulers. In the th
esent state of political affairs it is worse th an ct
blunder to dsrken counsel with words, and jo
mix mp, as certain coterie do, things that th
D totally distinct, in order TO frame an in te
,tnent against those whom they dislike and Al
II not try TO comprehend. The ouIy persons hi
10 have any right to adopt the language of ell
ur correspondent are the SepaTatists, such AZ be
re the Fenians of 1854, but such as were not mi
their day either GraJtau or O'ConnelI, and Ca
,h as is not in the presept day the Arch siC
hop OF Tnam. 1t would not benefit Ireland to
restore the constitution of 1882. without the biz
aDges pointed out by Home kulers, and the CO
urity of an Irish ministry responsible to the gr
sh people; neither would the Repeal OF the on
ion benefit Ireland, unless with all the CON
subiOnsl changes as regards the franchise
the representation Of the people, which A.,
.e since been won from the governing Glasses nv
England by many q well fought battle in 'ho %
House of CommonH, pIus snoh voice in va
1erinI nffairs IS wac NOS eecured 10 ireland tha
the Consultation OF 1883, and IN default OF
soh u 90 speedily and 80 easily pefiaheA. -