National Republican., 1880-04-19

pAioVii "uu ho nus CtItUlHly uEdWh uIoh
his Imagination for the matter which he
there relates. As writer of fiction he
may he good, but as an historian he is o
disgraccul failure.
MEETING OF THE IRISH SOCIETIES.
The meeting Of all tho Irish societies of
the District of Columbia, which is to he
held at Lincoln Hall this evening, will
probably be the largest meeting Of this
kind ever held in this city. The managers
have drawn upon Congress for some Of it's
best speaking talent which, with the
native talent Of that people centred here,
promises rich intellectual feast. The
Irish people of Washington are in deep
sympathy with their suffering countrymcn
at home. They keep in fresh recollection
the causes which led them and their fore
fathers to leave their native land and seek
homes on the American continent. They
know that like causes exist there now to
bring famine and distress TO the people.
Under these promptings they willmeet to dis
cuss from the depths of their sympathics the
OWLS that oppress their countrymen at home
with view to rendering such counsel, en-
couragoment aud aid as is proper for Ameri-
can citizens TO proifer, hoping to render
some succor in mitigating the suficrings Of
Ireland III this hour of her extremity
While rs u nation VIC have nothing what
ever to do with EngliInd's land policy and
laws, "a a people it is competent for MS to
| spmpathize, discuss and contribute in any
way through the force of public sentiment
to bring reform. Tho world moves. The
course of progress is onward. Great Britain
may cling with death-like grasp to her
hereditary laws and policies relating to her
system ofland tenure, but she is not in this
century beyond the reach of public senti-
| ment, even outside her dominion She will
be compelled sooner or later to move Oh.
| This meeting has been called TO assist Irish
sentiment in America ON those questions
which tend to afllict the Irish people at
home, and it will have it3 effect. 1t will be
| large in point of numbers and respectable
| in character
There can be no doubt that most, if not
| all, the distress that has periodically over
whelmed the people of Ireland has been
caused by a system of land-laws devised in
feudal times for tho maintenance of mill.
tary power reasonable and appropriate for
| the condition of society in which it origi-
mated, but which, in course Of centuries, has
degcueratcd into an engine for the main.
tenance Of the aristocratic feature of the
British constitution.
The development Of wealth, and the ac-
cumulation of colossal fortunes by the
merchants and manufacturers Of England
from sharing which England's policy ex-
cluded Ireland for many gcnerations), to.
| gether with the demand for landed estates
by these millionaires, us foundation for
patents of nobility and social distinction,
have given the lands not only of England
and Scotland, but Of Ireland, fictitious
valuation far beyond their rental value for
purposes of agriculture and remuneration
of arerorm in the semi -fcudal land system OF
modern Europe has been recognized by
many of the greatest English states
men, and by all the great social
scientists Of the times. France obtained her
land reforms through a bloody political
revolution, mainly melted by a long-con.
tinue contemptuous disregard for the well
fare Of her agricultural population. She
has now G00OO0O of peasant proprietors
and is certainly the wealthiest and most
prosperous of the Continental Powers. Hel
people are of the same race as the Irish
Celts This fact and the general industry
and prosperity of the Irish in America and
the British Colonies show that their poverty
and degradation at home are not due to lack
of any qualities that make people great
and prosperous Germany also found it
necessary to conform her land laws to the
conditions of modern civilization many
years ago.