New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-09
Ulster SUSr1LNS GLADSTONE

ULSTER SUSTAIhS GLADSTONE.
The Londonderry, like the Tyrone, election
affords unexpected relief TO the Gladstone
Government. The bye-eectiOns since the last
appeal to the country have not been favor
able to the Liberals, their net loss being ten
seats Success in Ulster is an ample offset to
defeat in English boroughs, where mOmentary
fluctuations of public sentiment are always to
be looked for after a general election. That
success has been unequivOcal, although it has
not implied positive gains, but merely the re-
tention of Liberal seats. If Mr.. GladstJnes
Irish policy had been openly rcpudiated
in the most industrious and best educated
quarter of the island, it could not have
commanded support anywhere. But u
ster, in two critical emergencies, has
given to that policy its distinct approval. In
Londonderry County, where vacancy had
been caused by the promotion of Mr. Law 10
the Lord CHARACTERISTIC of Ireland, the LIB
eral Solicitor General has been elected by
majority OF CAT over the Conservative candi-
date The result will he peculiarly gratifying
to the Government because it marks the fail
IRE of a political alliance which was SEEM
ngly as formidable rs it was insincere.
In this election 90 votes were recorded for
the Home Rule candidate, but he had with
drawn from the field in response to instruc-
tons from Kilmainham. Mr.. +. II. ODOnnell,
who seems to have assumed the leadership OF
that party, had gone TO Londonderry and adj
vised all followers of Mr.. Parnell and
his companions in prison to vote for the Con-
scrvatiye candidate. The reasons for this
course he had unfOdcd in a long letter to me
Times ,LOndon), wherein he declared that he
was acting in unison with the leaders of the
popular party in the island. The explanation
which he offered was very Ingenious the Con-
servative policy in relation 10 agrarian reform
in Ireland was practically identical with the
platform of Mr. Dayitt and Mr. Parnel. His
argument was that, whereas the Liberals had
given to the island IA Land Act that would
not woIl, and a Coercion Act that stnn2icd
constitutionalism and multiplied outrage,
Lords Salisbury and Waterford had heart
lily approved of peasant propictorship
based on compensation to landowners.
Mr.. Gladstone. according to this view, "by
the mere operation of siiciuE OF the property
of the landowners and transferring the slices
to the tenantry." had expected "to FIJI Ireland
with gratitude, dish the Tories and outbd the
Land League" He had faucicd that hc " could
do his revolution on the cheap but had failed
because he had left the tenants at the mercy
of the landlords who were free to collcc, az
rcars and rack rents and 10 effect Il wholesale
clearance of tcnanCics under the existing laws,
Accordingly. it was for the interest OF tenant
as well as landlord that the principle of full
and fair CONDENSATION to the owners Of the
soil should be instantly applied. Where
fore the Home Rulers aud the Con-
ser,atiyes could find common ground
within the lines Of peasant proprictorahip and
landlord compensation. Such WAS Nlr. O'Don-
nel's proposal for direct political alliance
between the two parties. and as an earnest Of
his sincerity he undertook to coax or brighten
the Home Rulers of Londonderry into voting
for the Conservative candidate IL was seem
ingly more formidable combination than had
been effected 10y the Conservative electonccr
ing agents in North Durham and Stafford
The ovcrturcs Of Mr. O'Donncll were ac-
ceptcd by the Conservative press only in a
half-hcarlcd way. The Home Rule votes were
welcomed, and what is distinctiyely n
landlords party was only too willing
to take up the cry Of Compensation for
the Victims of COnfsoation'; but the leader,
,hirked the responsibility Of identifying their
own Irish policy with Mr.. Parnclfs nantes
toes. What is still more encouraging, the
Londonderry voters have not allowed them
selves to be lured by speciou, reasoning INTO
am alliance so manifcstly in-incerc. Ccrtanl,
il was easy for them to brush aside the con-
temptiblc sophistric5 with which Mr. O'Don-
nell undertook to cloud their understanding.
If the landlords, IA he said, have 1t in their
power TO collect their rack rents aud "to effect
with absolute impunity the most tremendous
clearance since Oliver Cromwell it is because
the Conservative Peers struck out two vital
amendments relating TO cyictions which llr.
Gladstone had accepted in the Commons.
If, furthermore. the No Rent manifesto" be
purely an adaptation Of the Liberal bill of
1850, rs Mr.. ODonEcll contends, it was the
party which refused to sanction
il, and thus gave the Land League it, oppo7-
tunity for mischieyOus agitation. Could any
thing be more illogical than this attempt to
fasten upon the Liberals the responsibility for
the political crimes OF the Conservatives them
selves Londonderry has pronounced against
this hollow alliance between the landlords
party and the tenants league 1t has resisted
every temptation TO abandon the Liberal Gov
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RIGHTS or NATUR1LiZED CITIZENS
Secretary Blaine has taken q very important
20, h..