Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-04-19
LANCASTER DAILY NTEt1GENCER WEDNESDAY APRIL 10 1882

ever. The leaders Of the people besought
them not TO swallow this stone, which
they were offered in place of the bread
they had asked for. They exhorted them
to maintain their attitude of passive obe-
dience and keep up the peaceful strike
until its object should be at least in some
measure accomplished. To the unan-
swerable wisdom and truth of this advice
the government had nothing to oppose
except brute force. The League was
called q conspiracy its petition for jus
tice was declared to be a revolt ; its meet
ings were dispersed !; the members of Par
lament who had claimed fulfillment of
the ministerial promises were arrested &;
five hundred leading men, distinguished
as advocates of justice to Ireland, and
guiltless as the child unborn to any other
Offense, were kidnapped, dragged from
their homes and thrust into prison.
Atrocious Tyranny.
For long time Europe has seen no tyr
amy SO atrocious as this. Within half a
century Russian despotism has not prac.
ticed that kind of cruelty, even in Poland
on scale SO gigantic. The Turk has been
on his good behavior ever since the Greek
revolution. It is more than hundred
years ago that the bastiles of France used
to be filled with the victims of personal
and political spite. The English govern
ment is more despotic than all the rest.
1t is a mixture Of feudal barbarism
and Oriental duplicity, harder to bear than
medieval tyranny. The hand of Gladstone
is heavier on the heart of Ireland than tho
sword of Henry II. Do not forget that
these sufferers are men of upright, honor.
able and pure lives they suffer because OF
their good character. No man liable to
be condemned according to the law is ever
smitten against law. The worst rulers are
content with the regular machinery of JUS
tice when they desire to suppress actual
crime. It is only against the innocent
that they employ the agency of the bravo
and the kidnapper. Tho very order to
seize these men and keep them i'm
prisoned without a trial is proof conclusive
that they have done nothing worthy OF
death or bonds. For aught can see, the
kidnapping of five hundred innocent per-
sons for not believing in the land act was
as lawless as so many murders. Thus far
have spoken of the case as it stands be-
tween the British government and its
subjects. Upon this we can only assist
with our voices in making up the judg-
menC OI In0 WOrlO. but TccouC eVouGS Have
given US more particular interest in the
subject matter. American citizens have
been kidnapped as basely as the Irish pa:
triots- What will we do about that?
know not. But if we submit to the insult
we must acknowledge that England is the
master of Ireland and America both. If,
on the other hand, We call that lawless
power to proper reckoning, she will see
the necessity not only of discharging hel
American prisoners, but of making full
and ample reparation, lest worse thing
come upon her. The release Of the Irish
will necessarily follow, for England cannot
afford to admit that she has yielded to
fear what she denies to labor.
What is to be tho final outcome of the
struggle It needs no prophet to foresee
that Ireland is doomed to total destruction
if she be not supported and sustained by
strength outside of her own. But if we, the
American people, shall perform our duties
fairly and well, and if our government
shall not attempt to shirk out of its public
responsibilities, the hope is reasonble
one that some of us now here may live to
see Ireland ''redeemed, regenerated and
disenthralled."