New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-12-26
ENGLISH md IRISH L1US COuP1RED
To me Editor Of the Trt1une.

To the Edttor Of the TrtbUne
SIR: The speech of Nr. Gladstone at
Gudua IS sucn as 10 give tHo frie"ds OF Ireland
ground for hope thI In the COMING session, the British
Parliament viii rise the neiGht o the situation with
regard Irish land question Paramount as Is the
importqnce of maintaining order ~ the country, his
tone on TINS subject cOnid hardly nave been what 1t
was mad he npen ware That ny granting the just de-
mauds If Ireland, tue root OF the existing disorder
might be desr we'd at once and forever NotwithstaHd
IN the advance public opinion In England during the
past year TWO, ii Is ear nat tue English are yet
long way IF rom lerstaniing how matters stand
between them and Ireland 1t is no shame to the English
of to-day ai thtir fathers conquered Ireland but II is
shame teen if they shrink from facing tne fact and
acknowl edo. ug full the responsibilities which il IN
vo.ves II clear deht OF honor on the part OF Eng
land as she has taken frJm Ireland the power 10 right
her own wrongs t. that those wrongs TigIted
No EuglshIni an of denying this But they think
that law which is good enough for them should be
good enough for Irish, especially when the Land
Act has made possible to the irish tenant redress
which is open to the English. But this Is not rea
sopable view OF the matter. The land law in l. gland
whatever may be its demerits has this title to respect
that II growth OF centuries In free country In
Ireland the law was brought into the country by force
from without IL the of England there Is neces
sarv presumption that there must have be- In the law
considerable suitability TO the circumstances Of the
country The antecedcnts of Ireland were 40 utterly
diss!Iniar they the strongest possible pre-
Sumption that law which grew up 10 snit sue widely
different circumstances could not be suitable 10 the re-
ouiremeBts of the people.
A; tue Norman conquest. when powerful central
government was established in England, the land was
gwen the ieuda lords IN trust the representatives
OF the sovereign. TIE sovereign could not De every
where, he Delegated his powers 10 the fendal lords
But tue Crown came 80 much occupied WIN the
struggle establish it, authority over the ienual lords
IL had the power Ia r rights 10 te tenants
TIE towns compact aud unitrd, and the Crown Ola
help hrI their liberties But he free tenant. In
the nttncy OF ceutral power could not hold his
own. found tnat he had choice but to come 20
terms with great neighDor, no mater al wha cost
II /. clear that tn pedigree the English law III land
tenure IL not OF the most reputable SORT
And from q practical p0ut OF view are there not I'M
mistakabie symptoms that the system IL breaking
dOwni These symptoms arrest tie attention iess than
they would because ~ the much more strlk
ing Ireland. But what Is the meaning OF
tie abatemens Of reut which are now 80 uniformly
granted where required, BY good luDdiOrhs Ihey
may grant much too ltlr, hut the principle is
one OF simple equity. Aud II edOity requires that tho
land should make abat inent hccoid ding TO CIR
eumstances justice requires that should be right
for tao tenant claim ana not mere grace extended
10 him. In that case The management OF the matter
must be left to persons oc0 impartial and respOns-
ole to the State That IS 10 say ven IN England the
rents OF agricultural land should ne regulated by
valuation and not by contract -
LEWIS IL HARDY sHARKEY.
Barn 81 Edaunds. Nov TO- 1850.