The Labor enquirer., 1883-03-24
AEngIandss Dtscretio1..

evidence could be manufactured to prove
that he was in Phoenix park at the time
Cavendish and Burke met their fate. A
packed jury and partisan judge would
not think it part of their duty to subject
Esuch evidence to very close scrutiny.
An intimation of the wishes of the gov
ernment would be all that would be re-
quired to obtain a verdict of guilty.
Mr.. Sheridan's case brings home to
the American people vivid realization
Of the kind of Justice" that is meted out
to Irishmen. 1t is true that we in this
country have often heard of the methods
adopted by the British government in
it's dealings with Ireland, but then Ire
land is three thousand miles away, and
that fact has prevented us to a greater or
less extent from realizing the true char
acter Of the means used by Dublin Castle
when it wants to secure the conviction
Of those who have made themselves OBJ
noxious to it by their devotion to their
country.
The talk about the extradition of Mr.
Sheridan, has, however, given the
American people a better insight into
the0nature of British rule in Ireland
This gentleman for the last month has
been standing before the bar Of Amori-
can public opinion, where he has been
tried, and by a unanimous verdict ac-
quilted Of the charges brought against
him. Evidence that in Ireland would
send him to the scafold is in the United
States rejected as insufficient to warrant
even his arrest. For this reason the
British government. has not dared to
press it's application for his surrender
1t is afraid to 60 any further in the mat
ter because it breads the exposure that
would inevitably follow if Mr. Sheridan
were arrested and examined before a
United States commissioner
Anxious as she is to get hold of Mr.
Sheridan, England is still more anxious
to keep hidden from the world the
workings Of the iniquitouS tyranny that
is daily practiceG in Ireland. The truth
Of the matter is, Ireland cannot afford to
demand the extradition of Mr.. Sheridan,
because such a demand would neces8ari-
Iv direct the attention of the American
people to the yiIIainouS system that pre-
walls in Ireland.
The prudent course England has
adopted in not having Mr.. Sheridan ar
rested will not, however, have the de-
sired effect. The American people have
been made acquainted with the charac-
ter of the charges brought against this
gentleman. BY the popular verdict he
has been acquitted-a verdict that is
virtually indorsed by England herself by
her failure to press her demand for his
extradition.
Yet if Mr.. Sheridan were found in
Ireland tomorrow, he would be arrested,
tried and condemned to death on the
yerv charges that England is afraid to
produce against him IN the American
courts. After this, what opinion can the
American people have of the sort of
claw" that is administered in Ireland
under British rule?
England has Of late years made great
efforts to win the good will of this coun-
try Her AngIo-American admirers
have never ceased telling us that Brit
i8h rule in Ireland was all that could be
desired. The Sheridan case now gives
the lie direct to these statements.
Thoughtful Americans~wilI see in it con-
elusive proof Of the INSCRIPTIONS means
employed by the English government
when it desires to wreak it's vengeance
on any Irishman who may wish to bet
ter the condition Of his native land. 1t
furnishes the American people with a
striking example Of the kind Of "evi-
dence" that Irish packed iurieS think
sufficient to justify them in finding a
verdict against anyone that Dublin Cas-
tie wishes them to find guilty.
What must every honest American
think Of the methods employed by the
English government in Ireland when
ever it wants to make a victim of one
whose only crime is that love Of country
for which we honor Washington and his
compatriots Irish World.
mRag RnnAvuuwanmmn,r