New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-23

The title of Mr. Cory's book is misleading.
ruide is supposed 10 direct our steps IN unlaihiaf
maths: but the reader of these political eomhe"'a-
ries will he able to make little ont N theh "loSs '
knows the subject pretty well beforehand iniS
partly because Mr. Corys plan taxes III cii,' ,'
and reflection rather than narrative ana partly 10
cause lie shows an unfortunate prediect'oD i'i az
fusion rather than direct statement E"en p
WIN are well read in English history may We PAR
doned il they sometimes fail to app'cel9e '"c i''e'
of his paces. or remain in doubt rs to whom ne Is
,.irc at when he persis is in referring TO pun
,,o ob.racter without naming him. His manner IL
t,,t of the political journalist who pens at mld-
night rapid and If possible hvely iead'h@ ar'co
upJn the report of the debate. which TO Oe prneu
along with hs comments uIon IT. ana III pro-
ductlon of that sort tho art of arslon the indirect
DESIGNATION of parsonage by reference TO clrcun-
stances which everybody will understand ls ci'eh
highly effective. But the method which proves tell
ing in the morning paper is lar from happy III Sc
rious history. Mr.. Cory forsets that he IS Wiling
not about Yesterdays news but the events oil nifty
years ago Tie general reader will hardly be able
70 max. good use of this Crude" without the hello
az another guide somewhat more matterof fact.
Nor is il only in the fern of his ESSAYS that Mr.
Cory reminds rs of the modern journalist. lie III
lows himself a freedom, a snsppishness, visor Oh
oliurgation an uufaTuess OF statement, not often
encountered except In the literature OF patty as
rutes As an example of his temper, we NAV point
TO his treatment OF O'COnnen. which is marked by
an aeerbity nothing less THAI vulgar. Inc IriSh
leader is malicious demagogue, barking cur
whom. however vile AS he was, the English Govern
ment might wisely have bought of by giving him
judgeship!
Ii is believed that from sheer stress Of poverty he
WAS compelled 10 take 10 The profession OF an agl-
tator, and to play the game OF iounalhS iuIe ASso
Citations to amuSe his ignorant followers; ana II
seems certain that in bawllnS Tor Repeal OF INC
Union he meant worse than 10 NIL his own
pocket and divert his fellow country men from ST.
dition and rebellion. On the whole II may he helu
that it was a mistake not to make him Judge.
Mr.. Cory's political morals seem to be as bad as
his manners AS a fnrther and perhaps still more
Gagrant specimen of the worst possible newspaper
style not to be paralleled in any Journal which
makes pretence of deCorum. take the following
observations upon Irsh discomfort:
There wers nearly eight millions O. human being,
in Ireland 1t would Oe wrong TO believe that al
these or even half of these, we're IN sympathy WIN
malignant sneaks. But among those no D9ggeo
property feared the magistrates and fulnlled con
tracts habitually. there mast nave oeeh pIolofii
ZION greater than IN other countries OF stupiG
and cowardly people; though In every mass OF
common people. when LETT 10 themselves. There Is
found 10 be an inconNcnient proportion OF 4ni
creatures that cannot do anything but cape When
the few makers of mischief combine against the few
obvious victims OF nance.
and so or at considerable eng tn, until. after en-
umeratng variety of what tic calls Irish tricks"
improy depce. recklessness, duelline dislike OF the
Fpalish. etc. Mr. Cory observes that whole sets OF
people. even nations taI. like individuals into
tricks and that tricks the germs of mental de-
ranpementn The passages we have cited are IN
manner which writer's OF a certain class believe to
he vigorous or animated They are mistaken.
Abuse so plainly cold-blooded and uuprOyoked is
ALWAYS the weakcst possible form of censure and
tho literary vivacity which vents itself IN undig'
nifed and inconsiderate freedom is as dull as the
comedy of horse play Mr.. Cory is tiresome because
lie s never easy auG self-restrd ned. Nor, II
we pardon the vices Of his method, can We find COM
pensaton for them in the wisdom Of his Judgments.
In saying that lie is insert puous we do not impue
TO him any moral obiquity, bnt we mean that by
the constitution OF his mind his intellectual habit
he seems hardly to realize the duty of frankness i'll
historical statements, of accuracy in describing
persons, principles and policies that he dislikeS.
His chief care Is TO make a point We ask any far
and educated student TO read what Mr.. Cory has to
sar of English misgovernmant in Ireland, and
decide for himself how far this singuary dogmatic
commentator can be Trusted as guido Almost the
whole of Mr.. Corys Section Nil, on the attempts
OF the Wings of 1888 TO rule Ireland, might be
cited as "a specimen of daring misrepresentation.
Ignoring the origin Of English spoaton and ty
ranpy in the sister island, lie calmly remarks that
the sixteenth century reveals existing difference
between the Irish and the English" and then he
proceeds to the following remarkable ouphemsm:
"The England OF the Tudors was 2 compact State.
strong among European States, but wanting ex
tensions it made efots TO extend itself by turning
ireland into a country like itself" This is pretty
bal; but Mr.. Cory goes further. He justiles the
despotic attempt to tasten upon the Irish people q
rule which they detested; and he declares it 10 be
LIFT ~ mt hat
she adopted the policy of persecution &" assimila-
topr ho calls it, but that she tailed to pursue il 10
acsrccsssfuI issue. In those days England, thanks
to her feminine monarchY, s.nned against Ireland.
For the sin pcnance has been done; but it IL an
crroi Ia doing this penance to repent Of having tried
10 make the Irish Evangelical Christians" As for
tue crueltes of the TudOr age. he adds, they
inst like the crueies of the Puritans i'll America"
Mr. Cory is fond OF paradox, but this seems TO be in
dulging bis taste too far. Assimilation having
failed recourse was had afresh to colonization. All
readers of Irish history know what this means
The owners of whole counties were summarly
driven into the boys and moors. and their lands
yete Given to Englishnen and 10 is because this
soft of wholesale robbery was committed over aud
over again by the English Government until there
was hardly Land title in Ireland not founded upon
theft, that the moro enlightened aud Christian
EngIishmen OF our day find themselves confronted
BIZ such ucartDfeHklng ullcullloS I'D attempting 10
repair the wrongs committed by their torefathers.
With complacent indifference to the moral aspects
of the case at which cannot help wondering, Mr..
Cory declares that the colony founded in North
Ireland by James !. one OF the best OF The many
similar attempts that have been made IN ancieut or
modern Europe; and that /" such settlcmeAs are Cf
necessity based on tie forfeiture Of laads and tic
taciioa Of tribes" Yet Mr.. Cory has the almost in
credible temerity to assert that Irish antpathy TO
British law Z" eau be- with fair proof. ascrited TO
the conduct OF known persons who yea between the
....rs Ia IN aud 1EOO Or fherraLoutsD