, 1881-02-06
THE IRISH CRISIS,
The Coercion Bill, aud What VIII Coma
II

of 1t.
TO the Editor ot TIE Chicago Tribune
CHICAGO, Feb. 5.-There can be no mistak-
| Ing the purpose Of the British Ministry to
| crush the Land League, to put al end to
| agitation, and to inaprlson the Irish leaders.
The London press has wrought the British
| mind to fever heat Of Indignation against
the Irish, and even ME. Bright himself eau
| not stem the tide OF haze, prejuGics, and
passion, whicl, will OILY be turned by the
enactment for the llundreth time Of an Irish
coercion code 8:
THAT the proposed code will be 4 stringent
one; that it will be vigorously enforced; that
the jails Of Ireland will be soon filled with
the Land-Leaguers, there.can be no doubt.
The temper Of the irish Executive, Of tbs
Irish Secretary, Of the British Cabinet Leaves
no doubt Of this.
But what viii the Irish people doo viii
they bend before the. coercion Storm? VIII
they, fearing the prison cell and sll its at
tendant prosecutions and priva.ions, the petty
tyranny Of underltngS. abandon hope IN tie
futureo Will those who are not Imprisoned,
fearing the power which under the Coercion
magistrates, abandon the Land League OF F.:
ganizaUon, submit to the former tyrants
from whose rule they have enjoyed tempo
rary respit, fall back into srllen submission,
or betake themselves to elifnccil., the wild
justice Of revenge from behind hedge?
Had Dayitt not been arrested, there Is 10
question as to what their course would be.
Ills influence over the people would be sue
cessfully exercised to preserve the organlza-
ton, to prevent dangerous, laW'less, Or Grim.
Fease@ ra t. f ff a II lis t eacaes S sff IL : See
Pile, and the efforts Of Parnell. Dl1los: and
other members uf Parliament, who can hard
ly be imprisoned until the close of the pre-
elt Parliamentary SESSION: will have the e.
feet Of Inspiring the people to couEaSeousiy
maintain their attitude Of passive resistance
to unjust laws. The call issued for the Land.
League Convention; the manifesto OF tie Par
nelite members Of Parliament; the deter
mination Of the leaders to stand their.
ground and not Zee the country; y;;.,.l1s ne
which the people have assumed during the
past few days; and though last, not least, :
the determination Of the women to step 1hto
the breach wllen the men are lMprisoi1ed-,an :,
point to the failure Of the Coercion aa,o ol Of
llent may take to bend the people from their
purpose Or to break their spirit.
Mr. Gladstone and Mr.. Forster doubtless
hope that by inlprisoning the leaders anu by
the Irish Liberals on the land question, taey
can frighten portion Of the ueople from [os. :
lowing the lead Of parnell, and brlbe another
portion Of them to abandon him. =, That H 1na
Land bill to be soon introduced VIII oe ~
much more sweeping character tnan
generally conceded. Even the nafqa!ts lt !s
Of Harrington Is not 0btuse enough not W
know that to bring in a feeble measure M ~ y.
la1ld reform now would be to manu- over w
entire representation of Ireland to !Mf. fal-
nell, to wine out tha last yestige Of Wing
perv in tho island md ,vnnM lend In thenear
tnt1ra o. r. 1ha nnii1',cn ~ tha nrz.sput Miu!5-
49, III 80 10 =! ia nnjy tenn
Try, aAa 70 a RUE by lT9sh laNut'ans1' ~ '+nrh
pered by the bullet OF the assasll'' IL" 'oAsA
OF the lNcenuiary. -
But even 4 good land bill Will nos
now be received rs 4 gracious fayor ~
the Irish tenantrv. They will look on It
as a measure wrung from the fears OF tne
Ministry. and from the desire or Ml'.