New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-06
THE VAR,

Tie ignorance which exists throughout the
country concerning what are called our foreign
relations is something absolutely appalling. 1t
is not only dense but well nigh universal.
Some of our Irish fellow-citizens may not be-
lieve it, but it is none the less true that there
are large tracts of thickly populated territory
in this country, amounting to thousands ana
tens of thousands of square miles, where a
traveller like Arthur Young seeking intorma-
ton from people in all ranks of life, might
travel for DAYS without meeting more than
twenty or thirty persons who are aware that
this country is at war with Great Britain.
There arc none so ignorant, of course, as not to
know that our Government many years ago as
sumed the duties of prOtectOrate over Ireland
in reciprocation of the kindly offices performed
by the natives Of Ireland who had, unsolicited,
assumed the duties of protectorate over us.
But the fact that Ireland is at open war with
England and that this country has broken off
relations with Great Britain on that account is
hardly known at all With all our boasts Of
steam and electricity and the rapid transmits
sion of intelligence, there is something singu-
larry unsatisfactory IN The slow progress which
this rather important piece of information has
made Outside the BOwery and two or three
Irish newspaper Offices very few people have
heard of it. And il is painfully true that many
who have heard of it do OF believe 1t.
This incredulousness is largely due to pre-
yaling notion that war cannot be properly en-
gagged il without the knowledge of the Execu-
tive Department. and that in the common
course Of things the Executive would issue
proclamation to that effect so soon as he
learned that any portion of our fellOw-citizens
had fully made up their minds to declare war
upon a foreign nation. There was a time dur
ing the last sess on of Congress when 1t was
generally understood that we were on the brink
of war with Greut Britain. Mr.. William i.
Robinson was very angry with that Power
and was on the point of declaring war against
it, He would no doubt have done so had lie
been sure that Mr.. Samuel Cox would join him
i'm it, MIR. Cox was rather angry with the Brit
ish Government himself, but not angry enough
to plunge the country into war on account OF 1t.
The difference between him and Mr.. Robinson
was th at while he wanted cdSlS belit Robinson
was satisfied with caSuS OcttO. Had the two
joined forces, war would have been declared.
Ii is thought that Mr.. Gladstones health was
seriously affected last winter by the pOItentOus
state of affairs on this SIDE. Probably If the
truth were known his first question every morn
ing during that period was Have Robinson
and Cox declared war during the night
Fortunately for Great Britain the difference be-
tween the genitive and datve continued.
There were bowels of compassion in Mr.. COx's
beM which we're not Affected by the thunder
ings of Mr.. Robinson's beIlo. Great Britain
enoved a temporary respite.
But things have changed since then. The
fact cannot now be denied-that is, without
giving offence to the Board of Aldermen and
other of our rulers-that war has been declared
and is now fragrant 1t makes little difference
WHO declared it OF where Il Vas done. 1t may
have been Robinson or it may have been
Cox or 0'Donovan Rosa it may have been
over in Brooklyn or up in the BOwery.
The great fact is that Ireland, of which
this country is proud to be a principal
suburb, is ut war with Great Britain. There
is no use now providing round, prying into
thee secrets of the Irish associations which
furnish the sinews of war; We have but one
plain duty, IL wa would be worthy our Alder
men and other rulers, and that Is TO stand by
Ireland. There are people who call tue 6rst
great battle Of the war in Phoenix Park, where