National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-05-13
lie LAND LEAGUES
OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
The following ore the preamble and resolutions
which were adopted at themeeting ofthe affiliated
land leagues Of the District at tho shca's Hall
meeting on Wednesday night last:
Whereas the failure of the crops in Ireland in
recent years has entailed upon the people suffer,
ing aud privations of a distressing character and
rendered II in most cases impossible for the agr-
cultural tenants to pay the monstrously- extorion
ate rents exacted Of them by heartless, unsym-
Whereas the unrelenting severity Of the land
Iords-especinlly the absentees--in enforcing the
collection of rents without regard to the prevalence
of q food famine compelled the people OF Ireland
20 organize peaceful, passive resistance 10 such
cruel injustice and appeal to tho Parliament for
Whereas the amendment Of the land laws which
tho people secured by this action, and which in
istence Of the evil aud tho justice Of the agitation
for its removal was fatally defective In not provid-
ing, as the Irish representatives In Parliament in
sisted that IL should, for tho remission Of tho
arrears OF rent 0ccruing during the famine years;
in consequence OF which defect the impoverished
tenants have been ruthessly dlsposs,Dsed of their
holdings and cast homeless upon tho world, In
numbers hitherto averaging twenty five or thirty
thousand persons each year; and
Whereas the humane efforts Of their friends and
noighbos to furnish shelter and food TO these
fortunate victims Of landlord cruelty have been
treated by the British governments ns reasonable
primes, 10 be punished, without trial or any pro-
hess Of legal conviction, by the indonnte imprison'
Whereas in this unnatural warfare upon. the
generous instincts, humane exortions, and Chris.
tnn charity and benevolence OF the people of
ireland the British government has arrested by
housand; and still keeps In prison, the nobiest wo.
men OF the land, whose only ofense consisted in
striving TO human life and to mitigate the
miscries Of those who were houseloss and home
Whereas in spite of the maddening provocauon
and Indictment 10 retaliation thus offered, and
he natural prompiings o. the Wild Justice OF 70.
The lives OF those most directly responsible for the
outrages. wrongs, and indlgnites hoaped upon
Them, the people of Ireland restrained their just
resentment and indignation, and permitted their
nrch enemy, tyrait and slandeter, Mr.. William
~ Forsler late Chlef Secretary for Ireland to ira
verse, without harm or menace, the entire coun-
Try though presenting himself unprotected. be-
fore assembled multtudes: therefore,
Resolved by He affiliated branches, IN ue District Of
l0liipbfd, Of The Iish Nutionql Land League |. That
u almost superhuman patience under the sorest
land have excmpilaed that virtue, as none ever
lid before, In sparng the life of Chief Secretary
Forster, under whose barborous and bloodthirsty
rule the purest qualities Of the human heart and
most generous manifestations Of human sympathy
with suffering were denounced and punished as
lagitious crimes while the foulest acts of oppres-
non aud inhumanity were appauded aud re-
warded, and the fullest immunity, even, was
guaranteed 70 policemen for numbering innocent
people anywhere III Ireland upon bare suspicion
bf hostile Intention toward the leader of band
Of rufians employed by the landlords TO turn
poverty stricken families out Of their homes and
o That lii abandoning, as nvowedy unsnccess-
fll in Us purpose Of breaking the free spirit and
nihing tho sense of Justice which animate the
people, the violent and mcrciless policy Of coercion
Toward Ireland which Chief Secretary Forster car
lied out with more than Turkish ferocty and In
replacing Mr.. Forster by gentleman OF honest
character and blameless antecedents, who enter.
nenpc NJ Gadsan OF eTtnd e sV S se ss NJ
praise due TO cessation from wrong doing to n
frank confession Of the failure Of that wrong doing
70 compass It's purpose, ana to promise to subsu-
lutte for It in future administration policy
founded In comparative fairness and Justice.
cSvondisl, the instrument chosen Ot BY Mr.. Clad
stone TO carry out this new administrative policy,
was crime without the shadow of Justification,
mud, II 1t was committed by any son of hem, also
nn act of treason to Ireland which will never be
forgiven, whether II was committed for purposes
pi robbery or III pursuit Of personal or partisan
fury aud vengeance.
4 That the simultaneous murder of Under Sec
fetary Burke, whatever harshness or rlger he may
nave exercised in the past as the subordinate in
strument of vicious and oppressive system of
foreign domination, was an ntrocious aud indie
feasible crime, whether its motive was mercennry
or political, and that equally with the murder of
his innocent companion II calls loudly TO Heaven
for the sternest Vengeance.
g. That we regard these murders with scnti.
ments Of indispensable adherence, and we only
hope for the speedy discovery and eondisn pun;
to Mr.. Gladstone the assurance of our sincere
sympathy in the grief and troubles which these
and that we mourn for the bereavcd and stricken
families OF the murdered men, whose homes have
been darkened by crimes which have cast gloom
. Ihat We sincerely sympaihizo with the people
Of Ireland, whose rejoicinss over the inauguration
Of policy Of peace and the promise of remedial
legislation were suddenly turned into mourning:
that we offer our coincidence to the thousands OF
families In Ireland who have been rendered home.
less by cruel evictlons, and to the many families
who have been deprived of their natural prolec-
tors by arbitrary imprisonment and legaiized MUIR
Ger ana that we more especially condolo with
tile bereaved parents Of the innocent children who
were recently shot down in the streets of Balllna
by the agents of the British government, and for
whose inhuman murder not an expression of re-
gret, sympathy, or condemnation has boon ut
tered by the government, press, or people Of Eng
z. That the people of ireland are no more re-
sponsibe for the assassination of Lord Frederick
ChVendlsh ana Mr.. Thomas Hayiland Burke than
the people of the United States are for the assass
nation OF Presidents Lincoln and Garfield and
that reprobation of the recent murders should not
be allowed to retard the peaceful agitation for inst
and imperative reforms which has hitherto been
conducted with such signal success by the people
Of Ireland through their Land League organiza.
ton.
s. That 1t is our firm conviction that there can
be no lasting peace or genuinely nmicAble rela-
tlons between England and Ireland until the soil
OF the latter country is restored TO its rightful
owners-the people who till il-and until complete
control OF their domestic affairs by the people of
Ireland Is frankly and rrevocably surrendered to
them by the British Government.
.. That the proposition of leading English con-
BeryatiVo statUsmen T. abolish the landlord system
OF Ireland aud es,as..sh I'm Its stead, under the
cultvators Of the sOil will be enabled 10 become in
lew years its owners, aud the recent memorial of
the Canadian Parliament the Queen of England,
praying her Government to grant TO Ireland the
same measure of seli-government which Is en-
1oyed by the people of the Dominion of Canada,
are gratifying evidences of the rapid growth OF
just and enlightened views as to the true needs of
the people Of Ireland and we hull with satisfac-
tlon the near prospect of q practical adoption of
these views by the British Parliament
III. That the secretary of the executive commit
tee DO directed to forward to Charles Stewart Par
resolutions here adopted.