New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-06-18
of repression. This was the hope OF many kadicais
as well as of tho Irish members. IL was known 70

of r.presson. This was the hope OF many Radicals
a. we'll as of the Irish members. 1t was known W
be the hope even of members of the Government
/ believe there can be no doubt that IL was t'o
earnest hope of Mr.. Chamberlain ana OH |n"'e'
Dixie. The strongest representations "eio "'''O
to Mr. Gladstone on the subject treat picSSu'o
was brought to bear upon him. III was III van"
lilo yielded to the advice OF MI FORSTER an" 10
solved TO nut coercion before remedy. Ihere was
Ni,;s,orioi crisis For n moment it was believed
nv evervone that Chamberlain and Dixie had re-
| siy,oa and that Bright would 90 with them. sir
Charles Dixie was himself anxious to go, but MI
| Chamberlain was the PIVOT of the Radical move
| ment and he was prevailed upon to stay; and ao-
cortngly no secession took place. The Govefnmeht
announced their intention to introduce coercion
bill first and a Land bill afterward.
Then the Irish members absolutely broke away
from tho Government altogether. They were re-
solved TO oppose the introduction OF the Coercion
bill by every means which the forms OF the House
allowed They were determined, If they could not
prevent its passing or modify its character at least
to keep it from being passed as long as they could
This would have been their duty in the case OF
any Coercion bill at least construe the duty OF
an Irshman and an Irish member of Parliament to
his country But this particular Coercion bill was
Objectionable almost beyond every other which had
been introduced. 1t gave the Government, that is
TO saw tho Chief Secretary for Ireland, the absolute
unlimited power of arresting anybody he pleased
without making, or intending 10 make, any charge
against him. and to lock him up in prison for an in-
definite time without giving him any explanation
as TO the reason which tho Government had for his
arrest 1t was enough that man should be
| reasonably suspected" by any magistrate or
policeman or anybody in order to warrant the
Chief Secretary in having HIM sent to prison. The
4 l,lxy
1t was not, by the way, Mr.. FOrstcrs own inven-
ton. II is to be tound in Lyttetons " History of
Henry H. published more than a hundred years
| ago Speaking of the Earl of Chester. Lvtteton
saws: 1t does not appear that he had done any act
| 10 make him reasonably suspected OF treason, and
| if an unwarranted suspicion could justify such
proceeding tyrant would always be justified, for
he may always suspect when he desires to Cypress
Then followed the great scenes of obstruction
| which threw the House of Parliament into such a
| fever of excitement, aud which were only brought
TO close Ny the coup detat of the I'd February
when the Speaker interviewed and declared that the
debate must go no further. Next day the an
nouncement Of the arrest of Michael Davit, an
nonncement which was received with wild and
oven savage cheers of exultation by English Lib
eral members led to another stormy scene and
finally to the expulsion for that sitting of hrtyslx
Irish members | do not pretend to justify all the
language that was sometimes used during these
DAYS and nights of intense excitement but am
convinced that the Irish members only did their
duty whom they offered their stubborn resistance TO
| the Coercion bill. Most assuIedly q minority of
| English members in some Parliamentary assembly
not English would have done as much under like
conditions The Coercion bill introduced by Dir.
| Forster was productive OF nothing but mischief.
| This fact is now acknowledged by everyone who
helped Mr. Forster to introduce it. 1t has justified
to the full all the predictions which the Irish MEM
| bers uttered whilst 1t was still IN its passage
| through the House. In every town ana villxge
throughout Ireland the local leaders of the Land
League priests and others. thrown into prison,
and the result was that Ribbonmen and eOnspiraors
got the country Tor a while into their hands again.
Meanwhile tho Land bill was introduced, and in
| its first shape found to be measure with very
| little promise in it. BY the efforts of the Irish
members with the assistance of very few staunch
English allies, the bill gradually strengthened
in its passing through the House. But Mr.. Parnell
| predicted that it would prove utterly inadequate
for the purpose Mr.. Gladstone had In view, that it
| would lead to an immense amount OF litigation, and
| that the Land Courts formed for the purpose OF
| fixing q fair rent would soon find themselves
| cogged and choked with mass Of business, and
| all this came true Mr. Gladstone is already en-
| gagged in the work of endeavorng to remould his
Land act OF last year to make it of some use to
| those whose good no unquestionably has at heart.
| When the session came to an end, and autumn was
| drawing on, Mr.. Gladstone suddenly made up his
mind to close with the Land League and over
throw il by main force. Mr. Parnell, Mr.. Dillon
Mr. Sexton Mr.. OKelly, were arrested and flung into
prison. The Land League proclaimed Illegal
| and suppressed Some demonstrations in Dublin
were crushed by the police with reckless and
savage violence, and order reigned in Warsaw.
Now need hardly say that there can only be one
justification for despotic measures Of sudden re-
PRESTON and that that justification must be found in
their success. The measures taken last autumn In
ireland proved an absolute failure. The country
did not become tranquil after the arrest of the
members of Parliament but the contrary il le-
came much more disturbed than before. Outrages
did not grow fewer, but multiplied with fearful
| rapidity Before the winter had wholly passed
away everybody knew, in Parliam and out OF It,
by the Government themselves, that the Land bill
had been to a great extent failure Also and that
Mr. Gladstone was only waiting for the earliest op
| portunity of endeavoring to get the assistance OF
Mr. Parnell himself for the purpose of maintaining
| order in Ireland.
| So much for my retrospect of the situation IL
another letter | shall give my ideas to the pIos
oct.
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A COLLISION IN THE BAY IN DAYLIGHT