Morning journal and courier., 1881-02-08
THE OLD WORLD.
Ireland.

| Davitt's Treatment-Prison Discipline Relaxed i'm His Favor-A Tame Debate on the Coercion BflI-ParnelI in Paris An Appeal to the People of America. LONDON, Feb 7.-In the House of Con- l mons today Sir Vernon Harcourt, Home Sec retary, in reply to questions, said Davitt, the Land League leader who has been re- gently committed to prison, would be treated according to the delicate state of his health proper room, diet and bedding would be afforded him apart from the other conviots
 B would not be required to work and his
 hair would not be cut, but he would have to
 wear the prison dress while in prison in order to insure his recognition should he endeavor to escape. When he travels Gin case 1t is nec- essary to take him from one prison to anoth. er) he will dress as citizen.
 BOSTON, Feb. 7-The following proclama- ton was issued from the headquarters of the Irish National Land League this evening.
 IRISH NATIONAL LAND LEAGUE OF THE U. s. ]
 CENTRAL OFFICE 19S WASHINGTON sT., BOSTON,
 FEBRUARY 7.)
 To the members of the League and the
 American public
 Ireland underwent a struggle fors ex- istence on the soil of their fathers They fought death itself in the gaunt form of famine and by the great charity of mankind were enabled to conquer it. To the vail of Irish distress America responded with noble generosity But had not the Land League in Ireland ex- isted with it's forecast and warning of the famine, it's timely appeal, wise organization and machinery for distribution, in the judg- ment of the best informed, death by starva- tion would have been the fate of vast num- bers of the people. The scenes of 1846-7- were averted by precedence and or- ganization. The Land League in Ireland continues it's existence for the purpose of removing the cause of famine Qandlord robbery of the people, for the purpose of escaping such changes in the law as will make every Irish peasant the owner of the land he cultivates In their movement to attain this grand result, Ca result attained by the people of almost every other country in Europe), the Irish have the sympathy of every free people on the planet. But they need more. The Ireland we speak of has been richly lowered by nature, but cruelty robbed by man, by fire, sword, law and fam inc. The island has been swept and scourged In ''good years'' Ireland staggers under this enormous burden, in "bad years" she starves Or begs. Federal law, with mountain Of abuses piled upon it, is mercilessly admins tered by landlord class, whose titles rest upon confscation. Not less than S3, GOO, OO0 annually during the past thirty years have been forwarded to the peasantry of Ireland by their friends and kindred in other lands. Not less than two-thirds of this goes from the United States, hence this becomes an Amer lcan economic question. But in the Land League programme there is no suggestion of resort to armed force. Irish discontent and agitation are to run their course within the limits of the British law and constitution To lift the people of the island up frnr mic &o alr s.,4o full realization of their condition, rights and power, to organize them in 8 solid mass against the authors of their wrongs, to force by lawful means such changes in the land laws as will make the people the owners of the soil they till-this is the mission of the Land League in Ireland Ireland is about to be subjected to tension unwonted even for her. It will require the exercise of all the leaders skill and the marvellous patience of the people to avert an explosion. In this crisis and in their supreme effort to rid them selves of the incubus of landlordism the people of Ireland need the aid of their friends in other lands The ganization auxiliary to that in Ireland. It has no part in shaping the policy of the Irish body. Its functions are to make the case of Ireland fully understood in America, so that the public opinion of this republic shall be inteligently and forcibly expressed on the side of justice and liberty in Ireland. In this work we ask the cooperation of all just men of whatever color, race, creed or condition. Combine everywhere in branches of the league. Report to us so that in the mass we shall be united. Let us have before St. Patrick's day such an in existence as the Irish race has never seen, an organization that can create Ireland's opportunity and be ready to take advantage of Englands difficulty.
 (Signed), P. A. COLLINS, President,
 THOMAS HATLEY, Secretary.
 The debate in the House of Commons to- night on the coercion bill was without any special feature and was adjourned.
 PARIS, Feb. 7--Mr. Parnell has arrived here for the purpose of looking after the Land League funds in MT. Davitt's name