Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-12-24
The Irish Question In Ireland.

The Irish can fairly claim that their op-
position to the domination OF the great
neighboring people, though sometimes ana
even for long periods, but family expressed,
has never been abandoned. If they have
had their times OF silence, that silence was
not the silence of the church yard All their
great efforts at resistance form long and
strong chain of events, which connects the
nineteenth century with the twelfth century
The Irish are sentimental race, and hence
they are open TO impressions that commonly
command little attention from men,
impressions derived from thinking OF
the past Almost all the great struggles
we have mentioned are associated with
great contiscations, in the Irish mind, and
hence the land with them is matter of far
more Importance than it is with any other
people, without any regard being paid TO It's
value as property, and as producing force,
or agent. Combine these two land facts,
| the sentimental or political fact, anu the
property or producing fact, and imagine
what must he the effect OF such combination
on the sensitive Irish mind; aided as that
| effect would be by the consideration OF the
other fact, already pointed out, that, often
rs they have failed, they never have been
completely subducd, and that their country
never has, in the popular and proper sense
of the TERM been conquered 1he lrlsh
know that their island has been combs
Gated over and over again; and they hold
that every act of confiscation was
wrong, the consequence of the triumph ol
I - nrt-f nrnn
and what force accomplished in the past
present force could undo. They do mol
think of their conduct rs violation OF jus
tice, but rs the restoration of justice. They
are not, they believe, agrarlans, according
TO the ordinary modern meaning OF the word
but the real lords of the soil, and Therefore
possessing the right 10 dispose OF 1t accord
ing to their sovereign will end pleasure
Were they TO speak right out, They
would, in all probability, say 1--WE ait
not laud-stealers, or earth-hunGcrers; W.
merely wish TO enjoy our own again INT
consequence of the state of things Is th'
bringing of Ireland-for the Land League
practically is Ireland face to face witt
England and both countries all armed In
question may be settled, without resort Z
war but how it can he thus settled, IS "a
question, which no man can answer. II SHOULD
seem that one party N The olher mus uii
conditionally surrender, or he beaten
civil war.
There are two things that present them
selves in this connection, to which we ca
r only aliude First, the triumph II the Lam
League would bring about the instant deman
for Irish autonomy, or home rule, who
would mean the independence of ireland, he
assumption of national rank, in the mos
comprehensive sense of the words. Second
", the effect of the victory of the landless
Ireland on the interests Of the landlords q
England, or rather of Great Britain. 1hcs
r things must be considered by the imperis
, government, which is the instrument oil III
imperious classes, whether those classes b
aristocratical, or timocratical, or democratic
: al, or q mixture OF all three forces, in, wha
f We venture TO call, their working character
, Mr.. Parnell caRdidly admits that the Ian
Leagues triumph would he followed by
repeal of the union and that hat wopld
: followed by an effort at independence, Ga
: be taken for granted. Boston Irdrtlt,F.