The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-11-19
WHAT SHOULD BE IRELAND'S POLICY.
tpublin Nation, Oct. gay


of that maxim. It is a condensation OF
the lesson taught by the whole couree OF
their history. Popular apothegmS have
been defined to be /" the wisdom of many
and the wit of one" In the maxim above
quoted the wit of O'Connel has crystallized
a wise thought long treasured by the irish
race.
Englaud's difficulty was Ire!apd's oppor-
tunity in the past, and even go will 1t be 10
the future. On many occasions when the
opportunity was promptly seized std epir
,tedly utilized Ireland pre- flied thereby !;
but Opportunities arising in our own time
will bring DO benefit TO US unless we are
prepared to avail Of them with similar de-
gree of vigor and resolution.
Ensland appears at this moment to be on
the threshold of very serious difficulty
Are the Irish people waking up to the fact
Are they giving thought to the question
how they may be able to turn to good &C
count for the Irish cause the opportunity
which may coon be presented to themf We
hope they are and we now invite them to
give to that subject their most serious
study.
1t seems to Us that if the "coming event"
which now " casts its shadow BEFORE" shall
be allowed to come ard go without quick
enipg the pace of our political affairs, our
prospects for the future will not be very
brilliant. Can we do nothing to prove to
England at this important juncture OF our
affairs that it will be unwise on her part to
continue to disregard our national claims
and defy the discoptent with which such
treatment naturally fills our mipdsf Can
We do nothing to convince her that the
good will of the Irish nation is worth OBJ
tanning at the price she sets upon it, which ls
nothing more than the restoration of her
national rightsf 1t can hardly be that we
are quite powerless in this matter. We
have still some millions of a patriotic pop
ulation in Ireland; We have between fifty
and sixty Home Rule representatives IN
Parliament we have a large mass of our
patriotic fellow countrymen located IN
Great Britain, and q powerful section OF
the Irish race, Thoroughly Gevotea TO the
Irish national cause, in the United States of
America. All these are sources of power
capable of being com oined and utilized for
the service of Ireland if the courage and the
craftsmanship requisite for the operation
exist among US.
On the Irish people in Ireland, and on
their representatives in Parliament, the
weightiest duties now devolye. On them
will fall the first stress of the struggle
which must be made for the advancement
of our cause. We put it to the earnest, re-
solute, and, at the same time, sober mind
ed friends of that cause throughout the
length and breadth of our country, to see
that the popular fee log shall have adequate
expression in these critical timee, and
shall be guide and eustainment to our
parliamentary representatives. As to these
last mentioned gentlemen, the right use of
their position now becomes q matter of the
first Importance to Ireland. The time of
trial for them appears to be near at band.
If the present promise of trouble for Eng
land should be realized, Ireland will require
of them services of a very severe and oner
GUS character-services as we'll calculated
to test the moral courage of men as q sum-
mons to the battlefield. They will need to
take up q very decided and bold attitude
in the House of Commons, and to maintain
it, as long as may be necessary, against
pressure of all kinds. Ministerial bland
| jshments, social Influences, and other po-
tent forms of temptation will be tried upon
| them anger, scutu, and insult will also be
expended against them. The good natured
and easy. going mem bers of their party will
be asked not to be guilty Of tue - unfair
ness'' of pressing hardly on England in her
hour of diff ulty 4; they will be vaguely
told that England " will not be unmin dfui'
of their good feeling-if they exhibit that
quality-and will be we'll disposed when
this trouble is over to take the merits OF
their case into serious consideration. If the
Minister faDcies be eau detect in the eye OF
any one of them hankering after the CLINT
of q certain precious metal, information Of
how that craving may be satished will soou
be forthcoming. AT the more resolute
memb ers of the party a number of parlia.
mentary builies will be let loose, and the
crowd of senators" whose capacities en-.
abe them only to cheer, and groaD, and
vote, will burst forth in full bowl. But II
the Irish members are able to Withstand
all these arts of assault, they will have &
great game in their hands, and they cat
speedily lead up to results for Ireland which
might not be reached in many years of t
more tranquil time
The fatal thing for Ireland would be. il
such crisis as We have indicated, to fine
her representatives, unmindful of the spec
iaI character of the time, pursuing" the
even tenor of their " ay" as under ordinary
circumstances. We have borne testimony
repeatedly ip0 this journal to the admirable
behavior of the irish parliamentary party
since its formation. We hsve stated the
plain truth, that never did Ireland send e
the British parliament body of represen
tatives 80 wise, 30 brave, and go true
Their organization as an Irish force, dis
tinct from and independent of the riva
English parties, the steadiness with which
thew have held to0ekher and the unity