, 1880-08-22

Of the Duke or Wellington thaG c1'i1
! war might be averted. The 1.-THE rent
charge for the support OF the Established
| Church continued to be collected from the
peasantry until the latter resisted at the
peril Of their lives and contrary to the peace
full, teachings of their "idoiized" leader,
O'Connell. Even the meagre Land act OF
1870 was not thought OF, as Mr. Gladstone
admitted, until party OF policemen and
bailiffs were shot down in Tipperary while
attempting to evict farmer named Dwyer.
The circumstances under which the eviction
was undertaken were so unfeeltng, 50 unjust,
and the landlord behaved so outrageously,
that Mr.. Gladstone, in referring to the AFFAIR
In the House Of Commons, made use OF
language which was almost pal1tation-
certainly not condemnatfon-of the act. he
lntinated TINT the strong Cromwellian ele~
ment in the most troublesome OF Irish
counties might be held responsible for the
shooting. Even during his recent electoral
can paign in Scotland Mr. Gladstone said
that the disestablishmcnt of the Irish Church
did not come within the range Of practical
politics" till the Fenians attempted to blow
I'D CleskenwelI prison, and In urging the pas
sage of the Irish Disturbance bill the other
day he justified what the Tories called the
'sweeping" and confscatory" tendency
of the measure BY saying that Ireland was in
a condition dangerously bordering on civil
war,
In fact, no ameliatory measure has been
ever projected or proposed for Ireland With
out it was forced on the attention Of the En-
gIish Ministers or the English people By
the turbulence and violence OF the Irish.
The present agitation In that country seems
to be more systematic, more devoid OF vio-
lence than any other which has been carried
on in the island. Phe Fentan organization,
if it did no otler good, introduced into the
country some OF the spirit Of independence.
and of the system of the American agitation
for the abolition oh Slavery. The people are
better educated, read more, have more Inter-
course with free peoples, and are consequent
ly more Intelligent and more bold III the as
sertion OF their rights The Land League
promises to embrace the whole peasantry Of |
the island, anu the firm determination Of the
farmers not to pay excessive rents, and OF |
the cottiers not to give up the crop grown |
from seed supplied by American and Aus |
tralian charity, are evidences that Its teach |
ings have been listened to and will be |
profited by.
The attempt on the part Of the worst land
lords TO- take advantage Of the prevailing
distress and eyict for non-paynent, thereby
deprivlng the tenant Of all claim to compen-
sation, if persevered In by them,-and the
action of the British House Of Lords indl-
Gates that it will .be,-wil be sternly resisted.
Resistance is now the only means OF calling
attention to the iniquity Of such proceedings.
As the Spectator puts it, at will be no
pleasant position for an Administration to
DC placed in, to have to WELD the whole
force of the Executive for carrying out a
aw which they In their places In Parliament
lave declared to involve serious Injustice"
This is really the position Of the English
Government in Ireland, and Mr.. Forster
md Earl Spencer, In denouncing the land
lgitators during the past week, are some
What at Variance with themselves, for they
cordially supported measure which was
orced upon their attention and which they
we're compelled to support by the men and the
organization which they have denounced.
There is no question that the agitation, If
properly conducted, it restrained within due
rounds, will result in large measure Of
elnedia1 legislation,-au the larger because
he agitation is more comprehensive and
letter organized than any preceding one,
nd is conducted By men OF greater spirit
nd determination.
a..As-@AaN--@MR /