New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-27
IRISH GRIEVANCES.
TN n,rrERENr VIEWS OF TIE SAME.

All have TO say on my own account IN reply 10
the letter FROM Mr. James RedDath, which you pub
Ished Nav 20, could be said in a few lines. For
that matter. all of it that concerns NE personally
might well enough be left without any reply at ALL
Bat Mr. Kedplth holds n peculiar position IN Irish
controversy, and his letter raises point or two
which may I've conven leutly dealt with by his help.
FIRST however since he summons a witness in
behalf of his clients, | RAY be allowed to remark
that my testimony will not bear the construction
Mr.. Redpath puts It.
MIR. kedpath quotes from letter Of mine this
sentence: " Mr.. Forster was the real ruler of Ire
land, subject to the general control of the Cabinet
and on tins he bases half column OF denuncia;lon
Of the English system of rule in Ireland. Mr.. Red
path In practlsed oontrDveTsialIst and II mnst he
"A poor "ause which drives hin to rhetorical arti-
fee of this sort The context shows plainly enough
what the meaning is Of the sentence which MIR
Redpath parades as confession" | writing
of the change il the administrative system of Ire
land. by which the new Viccroy. Lord Spencer. was
to become something more than the chief figure IN
a pageant. vr the instrument of rontine, as Lord
Cowper was" Lord Cowper was only Viceroy IN
name Mr.. Forster vas the 8" real ruler" IL Dir.
RedpAth is wllinl As no SAYS, to rest the defence
Of the Irish pc ,pe aud their leaders on this one In
controvertbe Confession neither the Irish people
Allow Mr. Redpath to put his own meaning upon
:he phrase which ie wrenches from its context and
lac shows himself skllfu certainly, in making ont
for his clients. Ireland was expected he saws,
to submit t. the 'rbltrarv will" of Mr.. Forster.
Does he expect your readers 10 believe thatf Mr..
Forster was the "r,er" OF Ireland for administra-
tive purposes. lie was subject, as | said, to the
control of the Cabinet. The Cabinet. as /
did not think it necessary TO add. is subject TO the
control of Parauen whic is. IN turn subject to
the control of the constituencies / was not writing
an elementary textbook of English constitutional
procedure. There are some things, said an glsh
Judge 10 youthful barrister who was qnotin
Blackstone that the Court may be Supposed 10 know.
Every scrap Of authority which Mr.. Forster re-
ceived in Ireland was directly derived from acts Of
Parliament The real ruler" of Ireland Is the
Parliament of Great Britain and Ireland Parlia-
ment III which Ireland is represented ont of proper
ton to II, population, and III which Irish business
takes precedence over both English and Scottish
Arbitrary authority" exists only Iii the magna-
ton of Mr. Redpath and of those Tor whom he
speaks.
Like other Irish partisans, MI Redpath appeals,
shrewdiy enough, to American vanity. or American
patriotism If he likes that phrase better He offers
the pleasing prospect of an Ireland ruled on
American principles No nation in Europe. he tells
htica principles Ii may be 50, bat the interest Of
the moment lies III the application Of these princi-
Pies and the application of them by the Irish is not
such as 10 make Americans feel altogether ord Of
their disciples. The Irish have turned tue House of
Commons into a bear-garden. They have dehased
public life. In their own island they have abolished
at least two of the Ten Commandments. They have
erected the Reputation OF debts into political
system. They have made private Surder recog-
nized instrument of agrarian AID political agitation
Mr.. Redpatn himself unless he mas been mlsrepTe-
sentcd. has given his approval to both robbery aud
murder There is a phrase about shooting land
lords like rabbits which was attributed to HIM. lie
was understood to applaud the murder of Lord
MountnOrres II such reports which appeared in both
English and Irish papers, did injustice 10 hr Red
path, you will, sure. be only too gla TO allow
lum 10 set himself right In any case, Americans
must be permitted to regret that such views should
be supposed to be of American origin.
| shonld be glad 10 believe that Mr. Red
path is wrong IN saying that l ain "cor-
daily disliked" by the Insh in America.
But there are Irish and Irish. | do not
desire to incur the good will of Mr.. 0Donovan Ros-
sa nor even of those League leaders who levy con-
tributiOns on their more ignorant countiywOmen to
feed and fee Irish outrage at home These men
have brought discred, upon America and wrought
lOlUrY 10 Ireland. indL l. NOT ttle 10
the gra itude of either Americans or lrishmen nor
yet of friends Ireland 1t is idle talk of friend
ship or unfriendshIp with such men. The question
is not even one of political antagonism. They are
enemies of society and of civilization.
Putting such men aside, the question does be-
come one of politics. Mr. Redpath, in terms of
polite eulOgy which ] should be glad TO deserve,
speaks of me rs an exponent" of the English sys-
ten Of rule in Ireland. Well. exponent of sys-
ten IS one who sets forth the truth concerning H.
If he means that ] approve the system. on the
whole, | accept that also ! believe the English !
Government OF Ireland 10 be itself governed by the
most anxious desire for the welfare of Ireland |
Hardly ever in history have such concessions and
sacrifices made by a ruling nation 10 the !
wishes of the ruled. In Lord Hartingtons words, |
justice if not something more than justice, has |
been done to Ireland But il l thought otherwise
should none the less regard the idea of |
irish independence as dream. The sur !
render of Ireland would be suicidal. Eng |
land will give up Ireland whenever |
she ceases to lie an Empire not before. 1t not |
20 Irishmen % aud say this, any
more than it is unlrendship to Irishmeu to dete,t
and denounce the crimes by which Irish aSsassins
disgrace the Irish name.
Further than that need not follow Mr.. Redpath. |
tie cannot e xpect to assent to ms statements, |
aud | AIN afraid nothing | can urge will convert |
him into a wise friendship Tor Ireland Sincere il
bis friendship he certainly is, but the language he
sometimes permits himself to use, and the kind of
agitation he has carried on in Ireland have been 50
many weapons in the hands OF those who thought
stern measures necessary for the government Of
hat part of the Kingdom.
Mr. Redpath Is known, but who is Mr.W VI. Don
ELY. who thinks | msrepreseut and Willy his ma
ton : So far as his letter has any purpose not
purely abusive it to be 10 deny that the Irish
mur ers were the work Of an Irish organization in
Ireland. Does Mr.. Donelly think the murders COM