New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-01-02
ENGLISH AID TO IRELAND.
THE MEETING AT THE MANSION HOUSE.


explain clearly and authoritahvcly the object OF
the meeting with reference to Ireland held ycser-
day at the Mansion House 1t Is described as a
meeting for the Defence of Property. Inc Loru
Mayor who convened it, and who is conservative
wrote vague letter of invitation, full 81 general
itics rot particularly glitterirg He SAID II was IN
portant TO combat etlectual.y the widespread os-
lection in Ireland; which nobody disputes eNcep'
those who are dsafected. This country cannot AZ
fo,5 he added. 10 allow the security Of life and
prouertv to be even temporarily IN allegiance ana
he desired to raise such luna ~
,v,ld Give Substantial assistance TO The
loval people of Ireland m this emergency,
Al the meeting these generalities were repeated
in one form or another The Dukc of Buckingham
was more explicit. The funds to he raised would ne
exrcpd,1. according to the Duke, for the purpose
of supportnc those suffering from the failure OF law
and order III Ireland and TO prevent land from ne
ing thrown out Of cultivation and the owners Oh il
ruined But no programme or platform was laiu
down. The English delight in freedom from tT'hr
mels of that sor. What the meeting did was 10 re-
solve itself into committee with power 10 ralse az
the money they could, and spend II as they hkco'
subject only TO the duty OF assisting the aw-aodhs
inhabitants of Ireland.
II YOU turn from the report of tho proceedings 10
The comments on them, the confusion increases
A Conservative journal describes the Committee as
n priyate association Of English gentlemen, plcdg-
inc itself 10 the vcarous performance OF thu hrSt
duties of an English GOvernu cnt, rs III Tact a
BODY organized in direct competition with the
Irish Executive" That seems plain enough vet
she same journal in the same article, observes with
ealmness that the organization must not be allowed
TO assume a partisan character The Lord Mayor
himself said the same thing, intcrruptng MI D. IT,
Hubbard who was remarklng that the object OF the
meeting was TO take up the work of the Government
IN Ireland. Another Conservative organ takes the
same line insisting that the movement Is ana must De
non-potical and that the sole end and aim OF the
association and the one purpose for which the tuhd
will he emnloved shall be the yindlcauon OF the
rights of property.
Nor do the Liberals treat the movement as hostile
10 themselves Mr. Gladstone himself, to whom the
Lord MAYOR wrote. photographed from llaWardch
that be regarded 1t as justiahe, but that for OBJ
yious reasons the Government could not give any
advice" The leading Liberal journal accepts the
version of its objects according to "llch thc assoc
citation is purely defensive and eloemoSynary'
aycrring that the work which the Mansion l.ouSo
Committee proposes do Is not the work which the
Governments ~ its aSsallantS auege has
failed 10 do Liberals of high standing took part IN
the proceedings: among them SIR john lubbock,
Lord poversconrt-nay the Duke OF Nc>tmn-
Eter himself who holds Official position under
Government The Duke is Master Of the Horse ana
that post though ornamental is strictly PohucaI;
the incumbent Of 1t changing when Governments
change.
Ancxplanation of these contradictions is,atter ALL
not far 10 seek. Such an association as tEat now
formed has III truth a benehcent ana necessary
vorl, TO perform wholly disconnected from politics;
and may mean to perform H. But IT Is per-
fectly possible to represent This work as on"
which the Government ought 10 have per-
forr,cd. and 10 make II appear that 1t Is
the neglect OF The Government which has given
rise 10 MS movement and turn 1T TO partisan ends
There can he no doubt that some OF the men who
are active in il do mean to use 1t as an engine oil
ottacl, upon the Government. need name no names
Ever, l,st!y knows who the Conservatives are VINO
have shown themselves anxious to make lrlsA DIS
tressc. n stalking-horse for the Tories They THINK
their attacl; will De more DANGEROUS If made III am
bush. and so they discl1m hostile purposes. But
.be Conservative journal which first quoted Tie
STANDARD, has an awkward habit OF speaking
the truth at iucOuycuient moments. 1t pro-
claims from the housetops what party mana
gers are whispering in commttee-rooms and
bank parlors Ii urges tb at fund, only be OBJ
famed IN sufficient amount 10y an onen appeal TO
pnblic opinion. II wants 10 make the association
National And So with plenty OF money ana
ploiu av0Nal Of ITS Objects we may say without
hesitate N that the Government viii find il for
1uidahlc agency of public rcproot and that NJ WI.
be instrumental in chciting popular condemnation
of the whole Irish policy OF Mir Gladst"neS
Cabinet
That is frank, certainly, bit nothing could be
more mischievous II tho Committee once accepts
such programme Is Is here lad down for H. II
ceases that moment t. be- National The Liberals who
have Joined in the movement must withdraw
L., / I vi I'D
have not Joined must hold aloof If they have 10
choose between supporting ilr. Gadst1ne's Govern
mont and supporting the Tory Lord Mayor of Lon
don with a Tory backing, thcy viii not hesitate.
And the association cannot a"oTd to anchate
Liberals The Duke of Westminster, who passes
for a man prudent about money, sent first sub
scription of $500. with promise OF more If wanted
Keep the movement non-partIsan and ms example
will be followed by scores OF names ana gins not
less important than his. 1t viii soon be seen winch
line the Committee Will takc-whcther political o.
pon-pohtiral. They cannot take both, nor halt be-
tween the two As at present constituted, the great
majority Of the Committee Is Conservative.
Both on public and private grounds it is to be
hoped the work which this organization oSienslbly
proposes TO undertake VIII be done, and done on a
great scale. | should be, disposed to admit that
some of the complaints against the Government for
NOT doing it are well founded. There Is too much
reason TO think that the Government policy Of pa
tencc which is pursued now as it was in the autumn
and winter OF sSOlSl, may prove not less pregnant
of disaster than then. Idon profess 10 understand
such a policy. But right OF wrong tins Committee
has no business with it. There is work enough 10
be done outside OF politics and apart from criticism
The Duke Of Abcrcon declares Of his personal
knowledge that disregard and contempt OF law in
Ireland AID the looscning of all the bonds that pro-
a . rIs Nj rlttI.r
parallcl in the previous history of the country.
1o,,t,i, Somerset Maxwell who came over as one of