Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1881-12-01
THE TROUBLES IN IRELAND.
An Interview On Irish Affairs With
Archbishop Croke.

egraph has interviewed Archbishop
Croke on the Irish land bill and the
suppression of the league. He says
DIR. Croke received me most courteous
ly, and entered into the spirit of my
inquiries with he greatest frankness.
His grace appear to be over middle
age, he is fairly tall, powerfully built
man, and has strong and highly intel
ligent countenance, illuminated with a
pair Of clear, keen gray eyes, surmount-
ed by large dark eyebrows, a typical
ecciesiastic of manifestly dominant
mind. Although he had been confined
to his room with a severe attack of
sciatica for week and more, he was
good enough to rise from his bed for
the purpose of affording me an inter-
view. Seeing him thus in his robes
and gold chain, and silver-embroidered
slippers, and wearing q valuable emer-
aid on the second finger of the right
hand, and his red silk biretta upon his
brow, 1 was sorry that might not give
his picture in lines as we'll as in words.
Cordially shaking hands, the archbishop
desired me to be seated, and we at
once proceeded to discuss the land act
and the land agitation in relation to
the proclaimed league. He told me
that the manifesto of the league, which
led to its suppression, had filed him
with horror and astOnishment. It was
as if a hand-grenade had been thrown
into the room, and had he not been so
thoroughly well acquainted with the
signatures he would have believed they
had "sold the pass" Mr.. Dillon, MP.
for Tipperary, was great friend of
his, and had stayed at the palace on a
visit after he was released from jaa.
but no personal friendship to any leader
of the league (and he was acquainted
with most of them) could induce him
to approve or cOuntenance the spirit of
their latest manifesto. The fact was
that in all political agitations the men
who come to the top were seldom in
every particular representative of the
cause. Some of them entertained an
exaggerated opinion of their powers of
oratOry and talents for public life to
the detriment of the principle they ad-
vocated. Your fish that came to the
top to snap at the flies was different
kind of fellow to his friends who
were content to swim in calmer waters
lower down. 1t seemed to him that
the manifesto which led to the sup
preston of the league was not an
authoritative document. To give that
character it should have been the de-
liberate act of the executive, following
upon general conversion. asked
him might not the league, even now.
repudiate it? He thought the
league had done its work, and must
pass away, but the network of comnu-
nicatiOn which it had established might
prove useful in another way. Mean
while the necessity no longer existed
for public organization. II am sure"
said he, "that the people will follow
my lead and the lead of the bishops
and priests of Ireland, and we shall
not encourage them to acts of illegality.
They will not defy the law, but they
will evade it. Mr.. Gladstone made a
mistake in saying that the govern ment
had to deal with an organized agita-
tion, not with the people of Ireland;
it was the people of Ireland-the poor
people-who were heart and soul
pledged 20 the cause, and no states
man who denied that fact would be ON
safe ground" For his own part, he
had no doubt but that the people
would remain quiet and abstain from
public meetings. Their priests would
advise them to do so. This was not a
religious agitation, and it was bis habit
to look at mundane affairs from a
humane standpoint. Hundreds of let
ters had come to him from the bishops
and clergy and laity of Ireland approx.
ing of the course he had lately adopted.
Fair rent was one thing, but mo rent"
was another, and to the latter doctrine
he could not and would not subscribe.
To him it was a marvel how sensible
men could have issued such a mani
festO. 1t was altogether unwise. un.
fair, and ill-advised. Did he believe.
asked, that the suppression of the Land
league would lead to the establishment
and formation Of secret societies? T
think not" he answered; "what has to
be done may be effected in the light of
day." There were many opportunities
when priests and people could meet
together, and advise on a just, legal.
and a prudent course. The leaders
had been warned that the priests of
Ireland would not countenance illegali-
ty. Thus, from the moment of the
manifesto, the sacerdotal class fell
away, and the power of the league
tumbled down like house of cards.
Though i'll in bed, almost, as it seemed,
within the jaws OF death, he had
deemed it right to rouse himself and
write the letter which he was glad to
think had made such a favorable i'm
preston on the public mind. The
signatOries of the league manifesto
could not be surprised at the course
which he had adopted, for they knew
from his own mouth that he would
not uphold the doctrine of mo rent"
1t afforded him genuine qualification
TO find that the bishops and clery of
Kildare and Leighlin deeply i'm
pressed with the responsibility which
the sacred Office of the priesthood inn
poses on them especially at this
time, take occasion to acknowl-
edge the great service to his religion
and country rendered by his grace the
most Rev. DR.. Croke, archbishop of
Cashel, and also declare their assent
and adhesion 10 the sentiments ex-
pressed by his grace in his letter of
Thursday last" DR.. Croke pointed out
to me the passage in the newspaper
from which L have transcribed the
exact words of the resolution passed
at Bagnalstown on Friday, and like
wise showed me several similar resolu-
tons from other parts of the country.
Speaking Of the condition of the peas
antry of Ireland, the archbishop des-
cribed it as truly deplorable. He had
himself travelled in many countries,
but had not seen anything as pitiable.
Twelve years ago he was sent to New