New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-09
GENERAL FOREIGN Ne US.
AGITATION IN IRELAND.

LIE hOOl Of HE lhOCDLEo IN lhLIhNO-lII
LAND LEAGUE GROWING RIPE FOR REVOLUTION
MIR. GLADsToNEs AWKWARD DILEMMA.
Tho following IS an extract from a private letter
recently received in this city from careful observer
Of the drift of political agitation in the British Isles
and furnished to TIE TRIBUNE for publication. 1t
discloses what Is believed to be the real object
aimed at by the prominent members of the Land
League. namely, absolute Home Rule, and the need
Of prompt and decisive measures on the part of the
British Government. In case o dilatory policy is
much further pursued, the writer thinks. the down.
fall of the Gladstone Ministry will be imminent.
BRITISH STATESMEN AND IRISH REBELS.
URGENT NECESSITY OF VIGOROUS CoERCIvE MEAS
UREs-PERPLExITY OF THE GOVERNMENT AMID
MULTITUDE OF CONTRADICTORY COUNsELLORs.
DEAR SIR; A great deal Of nonsense is
published In America about British and Irish affairs
and, as the situation 10 obscure even here have no
doubt Is involved IN complete sery Tor mistakej
your side Perhaps 1t be Of interest TO 10 have
few facts the subject, which the cable fails TO give
lisa mistake to suppose the land question Is the
reason OF the present agitation. The grievances
which no doubt exist the pretext for movement
which aims Home Rule ana ultimate complete separa
ton fro England When was In ireland last sum
n,er before the present agitation had taken form.
could help seeing that the people OF all classes
thoroughly disoyal, and that the police and corstabu
larry were moro afraid OF crowd than the crowd OF
them. There nter contempt for authority among
the masses. have before priva,e letter from
Cork. The writer is steady, midlleaged man with a
large family, which he supports by newspaper WORK.
He 10 not an enthusiast and he has no land grievances
to complain OF. Here Is what he says:
You win see no conflict with authority here, and I
think the influence Of the Land League will lessen cut
rages We are only IN the beginning OF a great
upheaval, which. commencing with land reform, viii be
carried On TIL higher aims-nauely the establishment
OF . National Parllamcnt-are accomplished
fofb The hana NJ fha hoIa unov pan
result complete failure Of these aims and the serious
question is. will the Irish people acknowledge the
faure until they have appealed to force That VIII de-
pend upon the attitude OF the Government within the
next thirty days force and the determination to per
severe WITH force displayed promptly and the fight
ing leaders arrested and locked up conflict may be
avoided Further palterng, with perinissou 10 those
who want fight 10 &C ahead with their plans will
surely hriHg conflict. DIvtt and two others
are ready for civil war Parnel, OKely. Sexton AID
that faction not. They 1on want to risk .heir
nccks Bu. they will not 5e aisle 10 control the people
unless TIE fighting leaders are removed hy arrest.
In England, only the advanced section OF the Lib raj
party views the coarse the Ministry with patience
The dstaGcc between tails advanced section and the
u!traConseryavcs is marked OF by shades OF opinion
which divide the two great parties :nto nuerons fac
;ions hut the Conservatives not so far from The
Moderate Liberals the latter from the Radicals.
ii sncc the Gladstone Ministry s threatened and must
suryive by concatng tho Noderates appeal to tho
ccuatry the programme of the Radicals. Thus far
its disposition has appeared to incline IL toward the
latter coursc aud b urged 10 persegefe In that
by the able end section In London represented
bv The Pa Mall GGzete. and having strong backing
large cities and t0wUs pf the North But this
Isy not possibe for If the Ministry should bo badly
defeated In the H01se Of Commons Gas IT would be by
coalition Cf Conservatives and Moderate ibcrals Il
would polg b. open TO NJ. Gladstone TO resigE and
coalition Cabinet You'd We formed which Sonld pro-
claim martial law IN Ireland at Cnce
therefore Mr. Gladstone Coca not attempt 10 restore
Ireland orer he endangeIs his Cabinet and his party
II he attempts coercion by ordinary means, without
martial law he nurses -cvot n he tries martial law.
he may be defeated by the Radicals and the irisG ulem
bers, Unless Ee frat recOnstructs hts Cabinet suc
basis will the Conservatives that no Radical
Land bills will be introduced In any case; the position
~ the Ministry Will be very precariOns TX this Pdrlia
,ncnt ayear Older the position would he Gas the
French say) iT1pOssih!e; but as yet the Liberals
afraid OF Qadstole's power over the constituencies f
rebellion should break out in Ireland D
qLence OF the Cabinets inacton. .ae Ministry could not
BnfvIve the meeting OF Parliament.
lSSO