Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-10-21
The Crisis in IRELAND.

The British government has at length taken
decisive step in dealing with the Irish dis
turbances by arrestng the land league lead
ers and throwing them into prison. -Four
members of Parliament-Messrs. Parnell,
Dillon, Sexton and O'Kelley-the secretary
of the league, Mr.. Quinn, Mr.. O'Brien edi-
tor of the United Ireland, and Mr.. Heffernan,
who has been active in the Cork branch of
the league, are among those who have been
arrested and lodged in jail, and other war
rants are said to have been issued. Such
scenes as those which are now taking place
in Ireland cannot be looked upon with salts
faction by any one, unless by those who de-
light in agitation for agitation's sake. The
people, in the great cities at least, are in a
paroxysm of fury, which leads them to pro-
woke conflicts with the police and military
for which they are i'll prepared. In Dublin
and Limerick there has been some savage
street fighting, though attended with little, if
any, loss of life. But those who have watch
ed the course of affairs in Ireland since the
adjournment of Parliament must have seen
that some such swift and forcible interfer-
ence with the work of the league was inevita-
BILE, unless the British government was pre-
pared to abdicate its functions in Ireland.
Mr.. Parnell has been led by a headlong i'm
pulse to giving the people advice which en-
couraged while it did not distinctly recon-
mend lawlessness. Had it not been for the
influence of the league, sometimes in the way
of persuasion, and sometimes of intimidation,
the Irish people would have followed the ad-
vice of their bishops, would have accepted
the land bill as a boon, and would have sub
mitted its provisions to fair test For the
existing state of things the league, and Mr..
Parnel as its chief, are responsible. Inter.
ference by the government having become q
necessity, the form which the interference
took, in the swift arrest of the most prominent
leaders, was the only practicable one. The
immediate effect is to make Mr.. Parnel
something of martyr in the eyes of his fol
lowers and we may look for a good deal Of
excitement in Ireland for some days, the pas
sions of the people having been kindled tc
| fever heat by the arrests. But there is nc
probability of any concerted rising of the
| people, and there are no leaders to head such
| a movement. 1t may be, therefore, that the
action of the government, coming at this time
and in this form, will result in less injury an6
far less bloodshed than if the league had con
tinued its work unchecked for few week.
longer. The fact that the later warrants are
issued upon charge of treason indicates tina
the government has evidence which it hal
not yet divulged, pointing to more seriouI
conspiracies on the part of the Irish leaders
For several years Mr.. Parnell has cham
pioned the policy of obstruction in the Brit
ish House of Commons. He has organized
the Irish people into state of practical rev
olution. Taking advantage of the misfortune
of his own people, he has developed senti
ment of lawlessness, of antagonism to author
ity, of impatience under social restraints
which bears fruit every day in outrage, arsol
and murder. OF course a very large part o
the responsibility for the present condition o
Ireland rests with the British government
not with that of Mr. Gladstone, but with gov
ernments which for centuries back have new
er succeeded in dealing fairly with ireland
There can be no censure too severe for tn
administrations of sovereigns before Victori
as to their methods of dealing with Ireland
The American people have the fullest sympa
thy with the sufferings and achievements Q
the Irish people in their dark days. But MI
Gladstone is not TO blame. The Irish quel
ton comes to him as a legacy, just as SLAYER
came 10 Mr.. Lincoln. To expect the Pre-
mier to overturn in day or a year, or eve
in lifetime, all the evil that has been don
to Ireland by centuries of misgovernment
to expect impossibilities. The governmer
has shown its friendship by passing Ian
act which is regarded by Irishmen as eminer
as Archbishop Croke and Sir Charles Duff
as a measure of the wisest benefcence. No,
why, as q mere matter of political commo
sense, should not this measure, which NEE
the approval of men whose views upon Ii
Irish question are as radical as those of Nj
PaEnell, have fair trial? The governmeI
is entitled to year or two of peace in IRELAND
Ireland needs repose. She suffers from con
motion, agitation, civil strife, famine. Ha'
ing gained the material advantage of Ian
, bill which promises to revive the agricultul
, of Ireland, its commerce and industry
) seems treason on the part of men who olai
) TO be Irish patriots 10 continue their work
! outrage, and we rejoice TO see these turbl
: ! lent fellows squelched.