, 1880-09-11

fFr0m the T5mes.)

very fpeeully followed DaVe oeeD made, nalu-
rally enough. the subject of a good deal Of
comment both 10 Ireland ard in this country.
M. Forster was Intercepted on Friday as to
The fact and as to the reputed cause. His
answer was tba: the order had been given for
'hr movemen of the troops, but not 10 conse-
q1erce of any fear on the part of the Govern
ment that a rising would occur in Ireland.
0utcsges on Individuals there bad been in
aonie parts of The country, and the presence
OF addjf ioual soldiers was therefore thought
d~srabir to give confidence TO the well disposed
Inhabitants and TO discourage those who were
evli-djsposed. Prospect Of a rising there IS
none anywhere at the present moment, and
even outrages on individuals have, contrary to
the custom of the country, been in a~beyance
for sem days. There are always the elements
Of trouble in ireland, and there will be no
efor. wanting by and by to introduce the
necessary sparks and duly to fan them into a
fare. The rejection Of the Disturbance Bill
by the Lords il a matter which We cannot
expect will be suffered to pass quietly. It
vii! be q new text for the land a~gitators to
enlarge upon in their approaching winter CAM
paign, although it is somewhat doubtful how
far it will serve the intended purpose. 1t
stands for a distinct defeat, and however strong
indignation it may excite az such, it will not
improbably be q good deal less stimulating
than a distinct victory might have been. The
prevailing view in the west of Ireland appears
to be that a series of meetings must be held
to protest against the action OF the Lords. The
Irish members, too, will before long BE- tree
from their Parliamentary duties, and will be
able to attend these meetings, and, equally Of
course, to speak at them. So far, then, We
have a promise of nothing formida0ie-of
nothing but what we have seen at work already
a thousand times and have daily measured It's
beginning, and it's middle, aud its end. It IS
with the appearance of the Fenians on the
scene that the first sign Of seeming danger can
be discovered. These, our Correspondent
says, are the most active and effective allies OF
the land a~gitators. They gre d disciplined
body, capable of marching four deep, with
banGS playing and banners flying and with a
good Geal else Of outward m~ilitery snow. A
flying column of these men may pass about
from one land meeting to another, may be
counted over and over again at each fresh
appearance it makes, and may thus lend a
semblauee both of numbers and Organization
TO tha cause, But when all has been told
when Fenians and agitators together have
been reckoned up and accounted for-there is,
orr Correspondent declares, no greater element
Of danger than has existed for the last year or
lwo aud has been found tolerable enough. 1t
~ from England, and not from Ireland, that
the news of the expected rising has come. 1t
has been in England and not Ireland,
that the alarm has been felt, if, indeed, there
has been alarm anywhere. The feeling in
Ir eland has been one of simple surprise.
Our Correspondents account of the situation
in ireland is to the full as satisfactory as we
could expect. IF there were the prospect of
danger il any case, if the Irish people were
likely to take it INFO their heads that they
must act up to the character which has been
given of them in England, and must convince
the world that the Lords have done unwiseIy
In throwing out the Disturbance Bill, we may
take comfort in the thought of the thousand
marines who have been sent out on another
mission, and who will be within call if they are
wanted. 1t is quite conceivable that the
hands of the Irish Executive may need 10 be
strengthened if order is to be preserved. They
have been weakened by the lapse of the C0er-
cion Bill, aud it is absolutely necessary to
make sure that no bad consequence s may
prove TO result from this. What The harvest
may be is not yet certain, but appearances are
not favourable for it, and another bad harvest
would be an added element of discomfort and
of possible disturbance. We do not connect
the sending CT the troops to Ireland with the
rejection of the Disturbance Bill by the Lords.
III the rejected measure had been passed, the
need would have been no less, and would not
lmpr0babIy have been greater. Whatever
may be thought of the Bill, and by whatever
Argument it may be defended, its acceptance
would certainly have encouraged the idea thai
Ireland is an exceptional country standing in