Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-06-10
TIE STATE OF IRELAND.

resorted to by the 1rlsh masses to hinder
the march of the police and troops. Bridges
have been destroyed in many instances to
prevent the passage of artillery, and dehb-
crate attempts have several times been
made to wreck trains which were convey
ing troops to the scene of some disturb
ance. But the Government is now threat
ened with danger which is more serious
even than the partial rebellion prevl-
ously existing The troops and police
have been held in with SO firm hand
that they are unable to protect themselves,
and while the mobs have everywhere as
sailed them with showers of stones, they
have been forbidden to use their firearms,
and have consequently had to stand
and take all the abuse and maltreatment
of their adyersa,ies without retaliating.
Nothing is so calculated to demorahze
men as this kind of policy. They come to
believe that the Government which en-
ploys them is more careful of the rioters
than of them. They see their comrades
cruelty wounded and manned from day to
day. They are marched here and there,
and wherever they go their only duty is to
stand as the targets for stone-throwers.
The troops, too. are naturally disguised
and dissatisfied with the unsoldierly work
to which they are put They resent being
marched in force to superintend tie evic-
ton of some miserable old woman. They
are constantly exposed to the taunts of
the people, and though their passions are
unavoidably aroused by the reception
they experience, they are forbidden to
protect themselves save in the last ex-
tremity.
1t is said that no less than four hundred
members Of the Irish constabulary have
been put hors du combat during the pres
ent disturbances, while couple of score
have been killed outright. Such expert.
ences, coupled with such stringent orders
as they are under, have naturally democrat
lied the men, and at last many of them are
resigning. In short, it is apparent that if
the Government continues in the present
shilly -shally course and cannot make up
its mind as to the policy it will adopt for
putting down insurrection, it will soon find
itself deprived Of the services of the men
upon whom it must count principally for
relief and protection. The effect of its
moderation upon the rioters has been what
might have been expected. 1t has encour-
aged them. They know that the police
and the troops are forbidden to fire upon
the people, and consequently they find
that they have the advantage, since they
have no one to prohibit them from stone
ing the representatives of law and order.
There is, in fact, nothing in the attitude
of the Government to intimidate the most
rebelliously disposed. They see that the
Ministry is either afraid or reluctant to use
force seriously, and they think that if they
only maintain their present attitude of
resistance long enough. they will remain
masters If the situation.
Mr.. Gladstone will find it necessary to
face this condition of affairs far more bold
ly than he has yet done, or his work will
increase on his hands every day. Plainly
it is useless to send soldiers and police here
and there to protect evictions, when every
one knows that the acts of the law are re-
pudiased the moment their presence is
withdrawn. The feelings which give rise
to this agitation cannot be effectively met
by any such rock coercion as this. 1t
would seem that the real issue had already
become the vital oae as to who shall own
the land. The tenant farmers have in
whole districts virtually undertaken to
GUST the landlords. Their policy is practi-
cally one of confscation, or, to put it
plainly, of robbery. They refuse to pay
rent, and they refuse to go. Now it is per-
fectly clear that if the Government allows
this programme to succeed, it will have
permitted the ascendancy of anarchy and
the reputation of all property rights
throughout Ireland, and that it cannot
prevent the transfer of the contest to Eng
land. In a word, what the Irish tenants
are resisting is the plain and unquestion-
able right OF the actual owners of the land
to demand rent from those who have con-
tracted to pay that rent. Admit that the
tenants need not pay the rent, but may
hold the land without payment, and there
will no longer be either Law or government
in Ireland.
The Government cannot surrender,
therefore. 1t must in the last resort have
recourse to the most severe repressive
measures. 1t must if need be put forth
It's whole power TO bring the lawless ele-
ments into subsection, and as usual in such
cases it may probably be obliged to exer-
else the more severity because Of its
u asonable moderation at first. This
has ever been the history of similar agita-
tions when dealt with mildly. The rioters
Invariably misconstrue the motives of the
Government. They call its humanity
cowardice its moderation timidity and
gaining audacity from its quiescence they
at length fairly force it to use harsh and
effectual remedies. This is the culmina-
ton towards which Irish affairs are rapidly
drifting, nor can the Government hope to
escape the necessity of heroic measures.
1t must maintain order and vindicate the
lava all cost, aud it must cease to bestow
more consideration upon the rioters than
upon its own servants, or it will lose the
latter.
A NEW VIEW OF MoRMoNIsM.