The Penn's Grove record., 1882-05-13
TIE IRISH -AssAssNATIoNs.

1uS cause Oh IIeidHu Has received "a
terrible blow in the atlocious murder
of Secretary Cavendish and Under Sec
rotary Burke. In the presence of such
a deed men do not calmly reason, and
multitudes will hasten to associate its
bloody authors with the leaders Of the
movement for the ameiioration of the
political and s0cisi condition of Ireland.
In England it will furnish a potent ar
gument to the Conservative opposition
to GladstOne's Government, which has
denounced the recent change OF policy
as a weak concession to disorder and
violence. 1t is proclaim in Parliament
and in the Tory press that forbearance
and generosity are utterly wasted upon
a people among whom assassination is
regarded as a swift and substantial
remedy for political evils. Yet to charge
this crime upon the Irish people would
be as foolish as WAS the attempt to hold
a political faction in this country re-
sponsible for the insane act of Guiteau.
Nevertheless, the sympathy which has
been poured ont in warm currents for
Ireland in the United States and else
where viii I've temporarily arrested,
and the assassins. unless brntally blind
to reason, will have the consciousness
that the only effects of their crime are
to heighten the woes and misfortunes
of their country, and to add another
dark stainto its annals.
Unless some secret personal motive
Turks behind this deed of blood, it is
hard to reconcile it with rational in
ventives to political assassination with
which the history of the world is famil-
lar. Had Secretary Cavendish been
sent to Ireland TO prosecute a policy of
coerion and military oppression there
would have been in that act in Dublin's
public park some explAinable motive
analogous to that of the Nihilists of
Russia. But he went to Ireland as the
representative and agent of Glsdstone's
new policy of reconciliation. Secretary
Forster, who vigorously carried ont the
policy Of coercion with such bad re-
suits, is gone. aid was permitted TO de-
part with molestatiOn; Will the Off
cial who bore with him the olive branch
was welcomed with mortal stabs, Gut
teau's crime has its explanation in dis
appointed vanity and Il morbid love of
notoriety operating upon a weak brain
and a low moral nature. Gartield's
crazy assassin made no attempt at con-
cealment or escape when the deed was
done. There are no features Of this
crime resembling that in Dublin's
park. Everything in the assassination
full preparation and deliberate purpose.
The deed was committed with the eel
Gritty and GOODNESS of practised assas-
sins. familiar with the steslthy and
deadly lpife. As the principal victim
had arrived in Dublin only a few hours
before, the assassins were ready for his
coming. and were rewarded by oppor-
tunity sooner than they anticipated.
1t may turn out THAT Under Secretary
Burke, who has long held his position
i'll Dublin, was The real object of pri-
waite vengeance. and that Secreta y Cav
endish was slain in defending him.
If this deed was instigated by the
Land Leaguers it means war; war,
with a brutal crime as a signal of its
relentless and exterminating character.
But this a most improbable theory.
The Land Languers had just obtained
am important victory were moving
peacefully fol ward to other achieve
ments when this blow fell upon them,
The prison doors of their chiefs were
thrown open and the policy of coercion
was abandoned as a political bluuder.
There was a prospect that the ~reconcil-
iatlon between the Gladstone Govern
ment and the Land I.eagurers would
be complete, and soon would be follow !
ed by measures tending more and more
to the independence of Ireland. Now
tie danger is that a resistiess cry will
BIZ raised in England for stern and des-
potic measures OF repression as the only
means of securing life and property in
the neighbtrng island. 1t may have
been the aim Of impldcalle fanatics to
prevent a restoration of harmony by
the TERRIBLE and startling deed of Satur