The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-05-10


approves most heartily of the acts of
lrishmen in convention. Particularly
is he pleased, because these men con-
stituted what was at the same time
one of the most moderate and sensi-
BILE as well as the largest political
body of the age. He said:
eve have nothing to expect from
the present parliament, absolutely
nothing. 1t is resolutely set in ad-
vance against every proposal in the
Irish interest-even against such leg
islation as humanity demands. We
seem to be alone in parliament. we
are alone. We are foreigners, The
very principles which the ministry
not long ago urged parliament to ap-
ply in legislation for Ireland are at
present set aside as if the Irish peo-
pie were by themselves a humanity
for the government of whom eXpe-
rience proves nothing, and for whom
new political philosophy must be
discovered; and yet the Irish people
practically ask for nothing but the
application to them, upon their own
soil, that taxation and representation
ought to go together. They believe
that they know best what is
good for themselves and naturally
feel, and will forever feel, an
unconquerable spirit of resistance to
the form of government that makes
coloniStS of them in their native
land. The desire for self-government
among the Irish has never for one in
slant been quieted, and among them
more than among any other people,
has been demonstrated to be absolute
ly uncomfortable. For England to
ignore this desire is absolute folly; to
attempt to govern the Irish without
concession to this desire is political
crime. But the folly and blunder &c
on. Ireland has suffered beyond po-
litical comprehension and England's
political growth has been dWarfed
eff we point out that the people in
Ireland are disconnected, the majority
reply that the discomfort is not polit-
ical but material. If it be said that
the Irish people would make them
selves soon materially prosperous il
let alone to manage their own affairs
it is retorted that the country is toe
densely peopled to allow of fair di-
vision of prosperity If it be pointed
out that there is UNNECESSARILY more
good, arabic land in Ireland than is
needed for the comfort of twice the
present population, and that the
government should make more
equitable distribution, it is an
swered that that would be COM
munism. We are told that statistics
show that the ratio of prosperity in
those districts where there is not a
sort of continual famine is exactly
proportionate to the loss of popula-
ton in those districts by emigration,
and that the misery in the famine
districts is exactly proportioned to
the love the people have for their ma
tive land and to the number that can
not or Will not leave it; that is the
only cure for the ills of Ireland is
emigration. The ministry practically
says to the Irish people, 'The only
way Her Majesty's govern
ment knows how to make her
Irish subjects prosperous is to as
sist them to leave the British
empire and become aliens" That
such a thing as this was absolutely
true in the year 1883 of the Christian
religion and in a Christian nation,
will be the most difficult subject for
explanation to the future historian
that the government has no other po-
litical philosophy than this to apply
for the relief of the discomfort and
distress in one of the most fertile and
naturally endowed portions of the
empire has an overwhelming majority
of supporters in its legislature is a
shame upon the time. We have moth
ing to hope until there is a complete
change in such government and
such a ministry.