The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1877-06-24

to their work, thinking it would sufice Tor
their purposes to play the parliamentary
game in the ordinary parliamentary way,
Imagining that the constitutional strength
Of their position, the justice of their cause,
the force of their pleadings might WIZ con.
alteration from Parliament and extOrt at
least some concessions from the Govern
ment. For more than three sessions.-we
are now we'll into the fourth-they have
tried for results on that line and obtained
none. Blindiy and mercilessly they have
been voted down. The minister has but
to hold mp his fDger and his ooedienI ma
iorities rueh upon them and overwhelm
them. Turn where they will, he crosses
their path. Propose what they may-large
or email measures, bills, or clauses, or
amendments, or resolutiOns-he and his
brute majority are down on them. 10 %
struct them, to defeat, discredit, ana hu-
| initiate them, are his DARING op1ecIs. ~
we say that they should confess themselves
beaten, and give up the gamef by no
means. The game is not half played.
| Ireland bas powers for this business shat
| have not yet been exerted; she bss Weap
| o1s that are yet unused. She-lt right'y
| served by her parliamentary representa-
| tiyes-can treat the British Minister ana
his majority to a sample of their own tao
tics; che can interfere with the progress OF
| their measures large aud small, their oilis,
clauses, amendments, and resolutions; ene
| can waste their time, mar their plans, anu
] frustrate their desires she can expose
their weakness and aggravate their perlis
she can inflict upon them some resuru loa
the wrongs, the griefe, the humiliatiooe
tbey make her feel. And in the name OF
| ali that ia fair and reasonable, why should
che not do it.
Certain it ia, to our mind, as the rising
of the sun, that the adoption OF s9ch q
couree of action by a powerful BODY OF
Irish representatives would soon or1ng the
Rritish Minister aud his big majority to
change, very much for the better. their
mode of dealing with Ireland. Twelve
months of such policy would be worth
| twelve years of the fine old system. ihste
would be storm-tbat we know. big
threats would be hurled at the heads OF
the Offenders; some English members
won,d look at them reproachfully and sor
rowfully, others would look daggere al
them and show their teeth; some would
bluster and some would shrek; the Eng,
,ish press would get into temper almos'
as ferocious as that it displayed during the
Indian mutiny; some coerctVe Iules ane tle
regulations would probably be adopted oy
the House of Commons. But good wonle
come ont OF it. all. People talk of making
the Irish palt ty respectable. Eugilshmei
respect force, earnestnese, courage: &ahs
in nroportion as these three qualities ar
diRDlayed by the 1rlSn paThauSSne@'J PI
will that party gain respect for themseive
and the cause they represent.
r Messrs Parneil and Biggar do not g.
: verv far on the line of policy we haye her
indicated. But they go as far as Is Pfn
dent for 40 small force ae theirs, ant
D farther than any others of their party: " "
tbey deserve to- be assailed for this v
the whole Irish party, are they the men II
3 he denounced to the Irish people w
. can understand why they are attacked
? abused, satirieed, and caricatured oy tn
i English press, but we cannot see why tne
! tshould be censured by Mr. Bott. CeFtai
II are we that whoever condemns them Ln
q Erish people will not condemn them: va
i organized countrymen in Great Br'tal
have declared emphatically in their fRVol
It The articles from our patriotic contenpo
It raries which have been quoted into ou
columps at various times within the pas
six or eight months, and the letsel
,, which we have published from the pens
j. thouebtfnl and trustworthy Irish poiit
3, cians. show what is the feeling OF ISeian
!, on the subject. If the irish party nave
h. proper regard for Irish public opinie
n their course will be not to seek to lMpo
D. f.tters oD Messre Parnell and Biggar, n
1t to endeavo7 to check their energy OF De
" down their courage, but to waken q
70 themselves to a eimilar degree of aet,Vlt
10 and prepare in good earnest to fight t
IF hard and rough battle that must be- foug
70 in the House of Commons, If in that pla
re- the cause of Ireland is to be won.