New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-02-27

ment are thought capable OF attempting. After the
Clerkenwel explosion and the Manchester muir
ders after the more recent assassnatons occurring
in ireland itself, and the approval they elected
from multitudes who expected to profit by them
anything may be believed. Who can forget the
derisiye cheers that greeted the mention OF the
murder of Lord Mountnorres, cheers from the
Parnellitc band in the House of Commons itselff
Well founded or not, the police felt bound to take
notice of the lumors respecting Sir William Har-
courts house. and sufficient force was there 10
protect it, If anything had happened, l may add
two or three Of Mr. ParnelPs most efficient allies ID
the House would have gone skyward with the resi-
Respecting Davitts arrest the strangest misap-
nret ensions arc current both ere and in America;
though confined, one may hope, TO narrow
circles. Mr.. Cowen declams against 1t az mean
and cowardly act, and is proud to claim Davitt as
his friend. The Illinois Legislature. If cable dis
matches may be believed. has adopted resolution
of sympathy with Davitt, and his arrest seems TO
have had something to do with the more general
resolutions on Irish matters adopted by the New
Jersey Assembly and introduced by some unnamed
busybody into the House of Representatives at
Washington. No sympathy could be more MIS-
placed The surprising thing is that Davitt was
allowed to be at large week after he had Deguh
his campaign against law sand order and govern
ment in Ireland. II the Government are to blame'
they are to blame for not having arrested him long
since He was convict with seven years Oh peha
servitude vet to complete. His crime was crime
against the State BY the mercy OF the queen nan
his sentence was, in effect RENTED, on conui'loh
Of pood behavior. He availed himself of the elem
cncy shown him to plot against the Government 10
which he was indebted for his liberty. lie ORGANIZED
the most dangerous conspiracy ever known III
lroland: for such the Land League is; being
League which has set up its authority III place OF
the authority of lawful Government, ana IN do-
tiance of law, the ordinary processes OF which IL mas
superseded. He daily preached defiance Oh tne
Government No man In Ireland was so powerful
for mischief as Davtt. 40 tongue taught seditlon
and outrage so effectively as his Why should
Government which was in the very act OF appealing
to Parliament tor larger powers to arrest those on
| whom it had no legal hold. suffer a man who was
legally in its power to continue free and continue
his mischlevOus and dangerous and daily more diS-
astrous work There is not another country III the
| world-certanlv not the United Statcs-the
| authorities of which would have borne insult and
outrage and challenge, and risked disaster Mt the
hands of convict at large, long as this Govern
| ment did.
And if the contrary true; if Davitt were tho
injured innocent his accompces now try to make
| him out the worst service American legislatures
could do him would be to pass resolutions IN his
| behalf. That is matter on winch haVo sau
lately with reference to the efforts OF Dir. Calklns
and Mr.. King in Washington, what thought 1t
ncedful to say. The objection is just as good for
Trenton aud Springfield as for Washington;
with this limitation perhaps that whereas
the average BritOn knows something OF
| Washington as the seat OF Government OF the
United States, ho has the vaguest notion about the
| CAPITALS of New-Jersey and Illinois, and possibly
mover heard that those respectable communities had
1 legislatures all to themselves. Becoming aware OF
their existence his first emotion will DO, perhaps
mild wonder that the representatives of popula-
ton which has 10 place in the International world
no existence at all for diplomatic purposes, should
he Offering protests and advice to the O9yeInment
of Great Britain If lie got beyond this his feeling
on the subject would be one of rightiul resentment
and in neither case could Illinois and New-Jersey
expect their clients to benefit by such purely pla
tonic and purely impertinent declarations as they
| have lust published to the world. q. w. 8.