The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1880-11-24
UNHAPPY IRELAND.
"A Synopsis Of the Situation Of the Hapless
People Of the Emerald Isle in Their
Agitation for the Right
to Live.

dlldllS LII lIG1duu udfC IEhCuCu Gudt pun
on the road TO revolution when further move
ment in the direction Of advance will re-
suit ia a social war, which will hardly be
confined to the green little isle, but will prob
ably extend over the entire United Kingdom.
The question of tenant right in the soil is as
pertinent in England and Scotland as In
Ireland, and although the movement has not
assumed such q fierce aspect in England,
where the cause of grievance is not of such
long standing, nor has the nature of dis
satisfaction that virulent cause which CEN
turtles of oppression and "misgovernment
by England has given to the Irish phrase
yet the fellow-feeling aroused in the English
working classes is of that widespread and
deep seated nature, as to be a cause of the
gravest apprehension to the aristocratic Sec
tons, many of the members of which see the
handwriting on the wall, and are deserving
over to the Liberal party. The announcement
that the Earl of Bessborough has joined the
Land League is the important news of
the day in matters pertaining to Ireland.
VICdt lmpO1 tdACC AZ ottdSACo NY 81 PdL j "
this unexpected alliance, as the Earl is not
only q very large landholder in Ireland, pos
sesing nearly $4,000 acres il the counties Of
Kilkenny, Carlow, Tipperary and Waterford
which yield him a rental of more that e20,-
600 sterling a year, but is a brother-in-law of
the Duke of Richmond and Gordon, Lord
President of the Council in the Beaconsfield
Government, and has himself twice held high
office in Her Maiesty's household. Taken
in connection with the laundering of the
Government in the prosecution so far under
taken against the Land Leagers, it prefigures
the formation of a counter current of opinion
in Ireland among the property-holding clas-
es which may relieve the Land League move
ment Of the incendiary and subversive char
acter sought to be impressed upon it by the
agents of the Government.
There is q growing feeling of insecurity
among the land-holding classes which may
be sufficient to admit Of compromise, either
by granting to the peasant class a feudal title
in the land, which is equivalent to a property
interest in the soil for life, and their families
after them; or by q positive sale of those
lands to the peasantry on somewhat the same
principle that the lands in France were dis
posed Of during the great revolution, withthe
difference that, in this case, the peasant
owners would be reimbursed by q money
consideration, or have a perpetual share in
the productive interests of these lands. The
most exaggerated rumors are circulated in
the West Of Ireland-a district that has often
expected to see and has at times actually
seen q foreign ally arrive to aid in the strug-
gle with the British power-to the effect that
auxiliary army from America is even now
on its way, and there is consequently an in
creasing disposition to defy the Government
and 10 incur all the terrible chances Of a civil
will see US through" and the masses are en-
couraged in this belief by the agents Of the
agitation, who believe it better, even wiser,
as 9 matter Of temporary policy, to take the
risk Of bloodshed rather than see the whole
perhaps collapse ignominiously.
drilling goes on secretly with greater
than ever, and there is really an I'M
mense store of arms of all sorts noW hidden
il all parts Of Ireland. With any help from
an active American organization a revolution
be made to break out at any moment.
There is also danger that the movement
may take such Roadway that compromise OF
sort will be impossible, and the people
may take it into their heads to take this prop
erty free gratis, instead OF ~mortgaglng them
with a load Of interest, and obscure
of eventual payment. But the efforts
Of the Liberal party are earnest to make q
.egal compromise, and the interest taken IN
he matter by the land owners may make
such q thing possible if taken in time. Many
the most prominent Irish land owners have
regardless of threats made against
them personally, to go to Ireland and look
after their estates themselves. The Marquis
of Lansdowne (who last summer in conJunc-
tinn with Lord Listowel abandoned the Gov
eminent, and resigned bis Understanding
shio of India because he could not support
Mr.. Gladstone in his Irish policy as devel-
oped in the bill of Compensation for Dis
turbance), has gone to take up his residence
for the winter on his extensive estates IN
Kerrv-estates held by his ancestors, the Fitz-
matrices, since the days OF StrongboW.
lord L.ansdowne, with bis wife, who Is 9
danohter Of the Lord Lieutenant Of Ireland
- c. on4 s. tho nf.Iyo nE