National Republican., 1881-10-22
The war Against Ireland.

1
turning into burlesque.
The War Against Ireland.
And so the Irish Land League is an
illegal and criminal organization in the
opinion of the British Crown, and the
Lord Lieutenant has proclaimed that all
of its meetings shall be dispersed by force.
This despotic action is but a part of the
exterminating policy in Ireland. For the
want of any other pretext or provocation
the government bases its action on an
address sent out by the League leaders
advising the Irish tenantry not to pay
rent OF course this brings to an issue
the very question of property and land.
But it does so in words only. The adj
dress of the Leaguers says:
Stand pdssiuciv. firmly, fearessly by, while the
armies of England may be engaged in their hope
less struggle against The spirit tphich their toedpons
cannot touch, and the government with Its bayonets
will learn in single winter how powerless are
armed forces against the will of united, deter
mined, and sclf-reliant nation.
These are not the words of belligerence.
They recommend obstinacy against land
lordism, not violence toward the govern
ment. There is not word of resistance
to authority. "Pay no rent" and "stdnd
pdssirelyw leaving the outcome to fate.
The tenants may do this without being
hunted as rebels. Their sympathizers
may organize and encourage them with
out being guilty of sedition or Of insti-
eating rebellion. 1t is not good English
law to say that what Herbert Spencer may
freely print in England on the right of
man to land cannots be as freely spoken
in Ireland. The land system is not the
government ITSELF 1t may be discussed
without treason being committed. Ifthe
soil ofIreland all belongs to few English
men, who may by law drive the native
Irish population into the sen as trespass-
ers, it is time for some change to be made
in the law.
Because the tenantry complained Of
arbitrary exactions by landlords, which
made life uncomfortable, propositions for
reform in land tenure were brought for
ward in Parliament. Instead of proceed
ing with statesmanlike care to keep the
peace between landlord and tenant during
, the consideration ofthe reform measures,
) the coercion bill was brought forward
, and forced through in violation of the
rules of the House of Commons. The
, minority saw in that measure dragons
) teeth only, and they obstructed its pas
, sage by every parliamentary method
But the rules of Parliament nor the laws
of the realm stand not i'll the way of an
, English ministry bent upon crushing out
Irish rights. And so, by q revolutionary
proceeding on the part of the Speaker.o
the House, opposition was mpz.ssied. and
the coercion bill soon 5Secame law. The
Speakers s0r1lct was applauded by
, thoessea'.nroughout the world who would
: make property king, and it was tolerated
}, by many others because there seemed toe
O much turbulence in the conduct of the
Irish members, Heated and exasperatet
3 by the visible preparations for putting
d their people under martial law and feed
II ing their leaders to the vermin of tn,
jails, these members unfortunately, for
J. got their manners Let us regret theii
J. indiscretions, but remember their provo
l. cation.
" After the coercion act came the lane
act. The landlords did all the com
n promising. This measure promised abou
r. as much relief as could be expected b.
the Western farmers in this country iron
n. a railroad commission appointed by Van
,s derbilt, Gould, and Garrett TO adjust dit
Iv ferences as to rates of freight on grain.
le In short, the English nation, boastin
ze of its devotion to civil liberty, free di'
cussion, parliamentary government, an
Mt reverence for law and precedent, has me
IL the plants of discontented subjects, innC
IN cent of any act of rebellion, with declar'
ton of war, and treated the whole Iris
or people as public enemy. So Polan
". fell. And so has not thriven Russian ~
he thority. There probably is not ma
on the globe whose native tongue
of English who does not feel in some degrt
re outraged by the introduction into EN-
nd 1t is menace to Englishmen at home
he we'll as to the Irish in Ireland. 1t
notice that arrogance can assert itself
,o- place of justice, and that the will
inf1amed rulers may be substituted ar
Ill day and anywhere for the law of En-
land. The government may not ha'
IN exceeded the powers conferred by Il
est coercion act, but if it has not, then
,ay that act the Crown was authorized to @
ercise despotic powers in time of peac
he and to trample Magma ChGrta deep in
ers the mire Of anger and hate.
And so peace will reign in Irelan
ain Sore hearts will give no tongue to the
in burdens. The Land Leagues will no
no more meetings The desirability
The change in the tenure of lands will be d
ow cussed only by the grasping landlords al
their agents. The poisonous air of t
the jails will reach for the vitals of the lea
,m- ers of the people. Brute Force has
esi. umphed and made Justice his victim. T
iron hand of England hardens her oN
in temper for other outrages Hate is {
throned.
on Ireland is poor. uparmed, isolated, {
ian slaved. Her children have been bat
educated, and by whom? They are v
est lent in temper; how could they be NEE
,cu- They do not concliate the world;
what use would it beP The Chul
len. makes enemies for them, and yet fa
)ies short In their extremity. lhey rest
ais attacks upon the faith of their fathe
what manner of sons would they be to
i've less? Their case seems desperate, but
,ub- is not. For them the laws of the u
verse are at work. They who draw