The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-07-14
THE CONFLICT IN IRELAND.


The COL flct in Ireland, or more properly
speaking perhaps, the cotilct between the
British government and Ireland, slill goes on.
This agitation seems to be really conflict
between the Engli.h and ancient l ish lana
systems. The Irish people demand the
freedom of the land rs an ancient right, and
however tho end of the agitation and tho
struggle may be-, that claim will never be
eradlcsted from the hearts of the Irish peo-
ple 1t comes down to Them along with all
their traditions and memories from the res
m Jiest generations in the centuries goue,and
tho belief in that claim of freedom
of the land is a part aud
parcel of their teings. That belief has
affairs in their hearts as sacred as the affairs
of their religion and no amonn. OF oppres>
sion or coercion will ever nze those affairs
This claim goes further than the Land
League demands. 1t only asks tho right of
purchase and does seem, despite the old feud-
al land system Of England and the laws of
entails, thst the right of purchase should
be accorded. 1t 10 contrary to nature, Con-
trsry to the divine law that the lands of q
country should by law such as that of en-
tails, be confined TO the owner.
ship Of only few, while
the rest of the people can
be but tenants at will, tenants on suffsrAnce,
tenants on lease hold, etc. We say it is
against the divine law because God has
said: The earth shall DO given to the
children of men," No people can ever be
happy unless they are free, and no people
can ever DO free where caste obtains, where
there are classes, one favored by law more
than another. As far back as We have any
record of the affairs Of men, land was bought
and sold. Abraham purchased the cavs Of
Macpelah. giving for it four hundred sheck.
els. Uader the laws Of the ancient Greek
and R,man empires land was bought ard
sold. That the Irish people have a
right under their ancient laws to claim
freedom Of the land, DO one ca n dispute,
nor was this system confined to Ireland, for
1t was the same in the High lands Of Scot
land and also on the border betw cen England
and Scotland. 1t was the Normans who estab.
lisaed The feudal system and made the law of
entails in England, and this law was never
attempted to be applied in ireland until in
x z,beth's reign, In the sixteenth century,
and it was then unsuccessful. The rels.
tions Of landlord and tenant were unknown
under the old Irish land system, but in the
reign of James the First the attempt was a
second time rade TO inlroiuc the Elgli,h
system into Ireland, and II was only by
strategy and subterfuges that success was OBJ.
tanned, and only in that way by
slow degrees. In other words
tho Irish people were hoodw inked and
their free, frank, unsuspecting, honest nature
taken advantage of. After the money rent
at once got to be fixi,y the people found
too late that they were bound hand and foot
and since then they have been but little bet.
ter than bondsmen, than the villsin slaves OF
tho old feudal times Of England. This sys,
tenn Of land tenure has never suited the
Irish people, but they have been powerlesl
to remedy the evil, every effort only result
log In a tightening and strengthening Of thu
gives until now even the bread Is taken
from tho mouths Of starving women and
children to pay tho rent, ant
families are evicted at the will
Of landlords and heartless steward
from the houses Of their fAthers, the HON
where their ancestors we're born and wher
they died, from the homes where their dea,
lie buried. No thought Of or care for thei
feelings 10 ever entertained, no concern 1
taken as TO whether they starve on III
commons or freeze on tho hillsides. IL |
any wonder that landlords and stewards sr
Boycotted or shot down from behind hedg
rowan The Irishmans shilling Is as dear !
him 40 his castle 10 10 the lord-iar dssrer
for round aud about Il arc clustered memo
ris', and hopes, and associations deaier to hi
heart than life ITSELF and no landlord or hi
steward greedy for his tythes al
bis blood money was ever blesse
with tender emotions Of IN
kind. The British government may succt Q,
10 this contest, but IL will be barren victory
II will not settle tho ques.ion-it will nc
. end the controversy. II has tho ply sic,
\ iorse 70 cosrcs the Irish people, perbap,
!. built 10 an idsa, q firm belief, faith that
10 combating, mot an armed foe, and a. sh
religious element has ::snssrsd Into shis CON