Sacramento daily record-union., 1882-05-08

not at once easy to find a plausible motive
for it. At the frat glance such a deed
would appear to be so fatally opposed to
Irish interests that its purpose could not
be copjectured. The Irish Land League
had just gained great victory over the
English Government: Gladstone had been
compelled to change his Irish policy COM
pletely. The resignation Of Forster, who
was particularly obnoxious to the Leaguers,
had been accepted. The abandonment of
Coercion had been announced. And the
appointment of Earl Spencer as Lord
Lieutenant, and Lord Frederick Cayendish
as Chief Secretary for Ireland, was under.
stood to be the first step towards new
policy OF concession and Cancellation.
Lord Cavendish in fact went to Ireland
with the, ,olive-branch in his hand. But he
had not been in Dublin forty-eight hours be.
fore the appalling news was heard that he
and the permanent Under Secretary had
been literally stabbed to death with knives,
within a short distance Of the Castle, in
broad daylight, and within hearing and al.
most within sight of hundreds OF people.
And now it is necessary to ascertain what
this hideous double murder really means.
We do not believe in the theory Of private
revenge. We believe that this horrible
crime was the work OF secret organiza-
ton. We do not believe that the Land
League leaders or the League itself share
the responsibility for it, however. Mr.. Par.
nell is an agitator, but he is not and never
has been an advocate of violence in any
form, nor has the Land League at any time
countenanced or taken part in outrages.
But the Land League is not the only or
ganization in Ireland. The Fenian Broth.
erhood has not been heard of so much lately
as few years ago, but it is not dead, and
it is the one association in Ireland whose
leaders are radically opposed to any meas.
ures which may tend to put an end to
anarchy in the island.
1t is the plain interest OF Parnell and his
followers to use all their influence at the
present juncture for the stoppage Of out
RACES and the restoration of law and order.
The only possible way to sustain MIR.
Gladstone's Government is to make it ap-
pear that the new policy is successful
where the old one failed. But the Fenians
have never held with Parnell. They have
always favored insurrection, anarchy, vio.
| lence and lawlessness. The Irish. American
organ published in New York, and which
for years has been preaching the most de-
sestable and infamous doctrines, advocst.
ing assassination, and calling for more and
greater outrages, suggesting the use of
dynamite, and in every conceivable way
stimulating the ruffianism and brutality of
the worst elements of its party, has paved
the way for just such internal crimes as
this, and has openly taught that they are
both necessary and right. The men who
from safe distance urge on their coun-
Isrymen to deeds of blood, and who think
lighting f55sE the independence of Ireland a
COED thing so lorg as somebody else is do
ing it, have for many years been opposing
any attempt to find permanent and COM
plete remedy for the grievances Of that
country. Now it is the Renians alone
whose past policy puts them in a position
to be benefited by this assassination. 1t
terrible blow to all Irishlnen who are
hoping for the settlement Of the Irish
question by constitutional methods, but
for those who prefer that there shall be no
settlement, who think it possible for Ire
land to conquer her independence by force
of arms, the case is calculated to wear a
very different aspect.
1t is quite easy to conceive that some of
these irreconcilables may have deliberately
caused this deed to be done for the purpose
OF making paciication hopeless; for the pur.
pose of deepening and widening the chasm
between England and Ireland; perhaps
with the expectation even of precipitating
actual warfare between the two countries
This is the one probable and plausible
theory which presents itself. 1t is of
course simply absurd for anyone to pretend
that no Irish organization would be capable
OF such an atrocity, when the blood thirsty
articles of the Irish World are approved
and indorsed by thousands, when 0'Dor-
novan Rosa and his piratical gang find
plenty of supporters, when recent Con-
vention OF Irish-Americans made provision
for carrying on secret war by the most
deadly and lswless methods, and when
agrarian outrages are occurring all over
Ireland by scores every month. In short,
it is perfectly clear that there is no want
Of material for this or any other devilish
crime, nor, which is worse. any lack of
public opinion to back such atrocities.
What the political effect of these assassina-
tions will be, cannot now be surmised. All
that seems quite certain is that they must
react disastrously upon Irish interests.
They may raise storm in England which
will unseat Gladstone, and put in power
Tory Government pledged to the most
rigorous repression of lawlessness in Ire
land. And while it does not seem prob.
able that the Land League will be held
responsible for them, great many people
will be apt to assume that there is but
little difference between the Leaguers and
the Fenians. That Gladstone will be able
to carry out his new policy cannot be
hoped. This great crime must call halt
to everything. In the face of such deeds
there can be no more concessions to Irish
demands, at least for the present. In
short, the event suddenly throws Ireland
from a position which promised the best
results, into a worse state of confusion
than ever, and by discrediting the Irish
leaders like Parnell who discountenance
violence, it strengthens the hands of the
Tories, and of all who hold that the only
way to govern Ireland is with an iron rod.
THE FATE OF DE LONG.
The discovery OF the bodies of Lieuten-