New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-08

4 TEST FOR PiRNGLL md FOR IRELAND
1t is hard to speak with patience of Eng
land, or Of Ireland. The conduct Of the English
Government for many years toward the Irish
people, in unfolding or tolerating shameful
oppression and cruelty and in refusing to re-
dress real grievances, has deserved heavy
penalty. But it is apt to be forgotten FOR the
present in the flaming Indignation which the
assassination will arouse. In the presence of
a deed horrible and 50 dastardly, not one
of the remote causes will be remembered.
Great Britain is likely TO remember only that
this is the first fruit of policy of c0nciia-
ton. Civilization is likely to consider only
the intOerable barb lrism which such deed
reveals, and the fact that it is the natural
| outgrowth of that devilish spirit which has
| murdered landlords and rcnt-pIyng tenants,
| and placed Internal machines on steamships.
| With this revelation Of the character Of Irish
conspIators. there is likely to come feeling
that the Irish people can be kept in order only
! by stern measures and merit little sympathy
in any harsh treatment which centuries Of
| conspiracy and assassination have made inev-
table.
1t must be confessed that this view will have
some justice as we'll as support in present in
dignation. II is true that the Irish people have
been substantially united in sustaining secret
organizations which. JUDGED 10y their deeds or
by their threats, no civilized man can justify.
In fact, the better class of the Irish people do
not justify these conSpiracics or their deeds,
and yet, with a singular Inconsistency which
seems to be characteristic of the race, they
refuse to expose the law-breakeIS, shelter the
| "uOOr bows who have been guilty of muir
! ders, and refuse TO regard the perpetrators Of
| lawless violence in any other light than as
victims of tyranny. The very men who most
strongly denOunce the assassination as an in
famous act, it is safe to say, would utterly re-
fuse TO expose and deliver up the assassins to
British Justice We have had a somewhat
similar state OF mind to deal with in parts of
this country, and not among citizens of Irish
nativity alone. The most intelligent and re-
spectacle people of several States have re-
fused for years TO do anything to bring to
justice the perpetrators of murders and other
political crimes, which they at the same time
denounced. The James boys We're sheltered
and concealed for years, hot in one State only
but in several, by many men who would feel
greatly insulted if they were called accom-
plices of bandits and enemies of the law.
Wherever this spirit prevails and counte-
nances crime, measures of special severity are
well-nigh forced upon a Government which
does not wish to abdicate 1t has been a ter
rible task for Great Britain to keep Ireland in
ordcr-to preserve that respect for law and
personal rights without which civilized society
would be impossible. In that task the English
Government has been far from successful.
True, it has had to deal with the most unluly
and lawless race on earth, but we have not
done much better in dealing with disorders
less serious. The truth is that the forms of
! Anglo-SaxOn law become inadequate for the
maintenance OF order and the defence Of civil
lied society, where public opinion gives no
support to law and no sympathy to efforts for
! the punishment OF crime. But the British
! people even i'll this time of intense excite
mcnt, ought to remember that they have done
a great deal to make Ireland what il is. Brit
ish injustice, the heartleSs cruelty of many
| British landlords officials and laws, have done
much to make the Irish people Indifferent to
rights Of property and disinclined to enforce
the laws. England would act more wisely in
this emergency if the English people could
remember that they also have done great
wrong.
Unhappily, it is hardly possible that the
dear old mother country should be wiser in
dealing with ireland in an hour of passion
than it was in dealing with its American col
onies through years Of patient but fruitlcss
expostuation. 1t will be very hard not to
silence every other thought with the cry, No
terms with assassins.' If the conciliatoIy pol
icy, as some have said, was on the point OF
making Mr.. Parncll sole ruler of Ireland the
assassination may prove his ruin. 1t presents
to him and to the Irish people test for
which, it is probable. neither is prepared. The
first duty of the Land League and Of the