The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-03-01
THE LAND LEAGUE SAID TO BE DIS
INTEGRATING.
The Protection Bill in the House Of
Lords.

DUBLIN, Feb. 2S.-In their Lenten pastorals
read on Sunday, several Roman Catholic
bishops alluded to the state of Ireland. DIR.
Dugan, bishop of Clonfert, forwards the Pope's
less to assure His Holiness that the Irish peo-
pie will receive and obey his paternal wishes
with that reverential love which is character
istic of their traditional fidelity to the Holy
See. His Holiness may feel consoled by the
assurance that in the present anxious condi-
ton OF affairs, though some incidents have oc-
Cured to be regretted there is no danger of
departure on the part of the Irish people from
the principles OF equity add justice. In the
meantime it is earnestly hoped that Parlia-
ment will soon, by wise, vigorous and incisive
legislation, put an end forever to this burning
agitation that will not cease to exercise the
public mind until it is finally settled in con-
formity. with the eternal laws of equity and
justice"
DR.. Donnelly, Bishop of Clogher, says: ''Our
country presents at this moment to the gaze of
the world a social upheaving which is cal
culated to inspire all with the greatest dis
quietude. After being rescued by the charity
of the world from the jaws of terrible famine,
the people have risen from their lethargy, and
joining together in lawful combination, have
proclaimed that they shall no longer submit to
conditions of life which keep the bulk of
them in chronic abasement and misery, to be
turned into the horrors of national famine
through the failure of single esculent. Is it
end, and that Irishmen who are patterns of in
dustry, thrift loyalty and prosperity in every
foreign land, should no longer be kept in per-
petual struggle between life and death ON this
island which God has given for their support?
While we asked the clergy to impress on their
focks the necessity of prudence, moderation
and charity in the present agitation, and the
need OF keeping strictly within the laws of
God and His church, and of civil laws as well,
we call on priests and people to join with US at
peal to the Almighty God that He may move
the hearts of our rulers and legislators to send
at length a message of relief to long suffer-
ing ration. If political organization, a hither-
to legal expedient, comes to be suppressed by
coercive measures, the clergy must redouble
their vigilance lest the popular enthusiasm
may turn itself into other channels and secret
combinations and dark conspiracy take the
place OF open action and agitation. They
should warn the people assiduously against all
secret and illegal societies, equally imperiling
their temporal and eternal interests"
LONDON, Feb. 2S.-A correspondent at
Madrid says Senior CASTELAR, has published an
article on the relations between Parnell and
Rochefort, disappearing the enlistment of Ire
land to the ranks of the Cosmopolitan revolu
tionary movement. He advised Ireland to
establish close alliance with the English
radicals who have procured and will procure
her great advantages.
Mr.. Dillon, in a speech at Boris, O'Kane.
I1pperary, yesterday, said when anybody was
accused of taking an evicted farm or of having
assisted landlord in any way, or when anv.
body had been rack rented, the case should be
brought before the local branch of the Land
League and the committee should decide the
question. The police, he said, should not be
allowed to enter any room where the League
committee is sitting.
The Dublin correspondent of the Times saws:
Signs of disunlon and weakness in the organi-
cation of the Land League are becoming more
numerous under the continuous action of the
government. Many treasurers and secretaries
of the local branches of the League have re-
signed and are in favor of emigration. The
payment of rent is becoming general, even in
the most disturbed districts, and there is little
difficulty now in serving writs, owing to the
exertions of the Orange committees The re-
moval of the League funds to a foreign
country is regarded by tenants with suspicion,
and the alarm of the leaders who talked SO
bravely when they incurred no risk also helm
ed to shake confidence in the League. There
are unmistakable signs of the league being
rapidly disintegrated, and if the improvement
continues at the present rate return to, at
least, the semblance of tranquility will soon
be general
large body of police entered the town of
Widnes, Lancaster, where evidencelof the ex-
istence OF number of Fenan lodges had
been discovered and arms had been seized.