New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-05-31
GOODWIN SMITHS WARFARE.
LETTER FROM MR.. f. L. GoDKIN.
THE EDITOR OF 1.-THE EVENING POST" REPLIES TO
PERSONAL ATTACKS PROVOKED by THE IRISH

To the EdffOr Of The Tribune.
SIR | am very reluctantly obliged to ask for an
amount of your space which fear you will think
unconscionable for a few observations on Mr. Gold
win Smith, of Toronto They are called out by at
tacks me which he has been making during the
past year or two in paper which he publishes in
Toronto. called The Weck He made them last year
in another paper which he then published. called
The BgstiRder have tried in vain 10 stop them by
private remOnstrance But am writing this letter
rather 10 call attention to Mr. Goodwin Smiths state
OF mind than to rcpel his ISLANDERS myself. have
had and still have, in spite of his alterations, so
much respect for the sincerity, unselfshness and
ability with which he has before now served some
good causes, that | dislike extremely to say any
thing which will look like attempt to dscredlt
him. His writings too. have been a source of gcnu
inc pleasure 10 well as to large portion of
the English-speaking public. As long he re-
manned philosophical historian. he really very
valuable both to England and to America. But he
has passion for journalism. which has ended III
destroying or greatly diminishing both his influence
and his Usefulness He had when he left Oxford a
large number of disciples among the younger men,
who both loved aud adm red him, but who have OF
late been alicnated by his violence and onc-sidcd-
Ever since nc settled in Canada he has kept
paper of some kind running his organ, he being
the principal contributor, in which he has car
with his Canadian contemporaries Much OF
what he writes in it on Canadian and English
politics is sensible and suggestive, but on questions
which he feels strongly he is apt to excite the
grief of his former admirers.
|, myself have been until now the best of terms
with him ever since he came to this country Hcwa
for fourteen is from 500 down to the last
year-a frequent contributor to The Nation That
he was a const mt reader of it know. The Toronto
Nation, which he established some time ago, was, in
fact very hatern expression Of his liking for It's
prototype. | mention these things to show that
if he has done me wrong il has not been through
ignorance either of me my work.
MR.. GOODWIN SMITH oN THE IRISH QUESTION BE
FORE 1850.
During all this period. too | agreed with him
petely on the Irish question know this because
he had put his views INTO q little book entitled,
Irish History and Irish Character which have
always regarded admirable piece of historical
ANAL sis and heartily commend to such of your
readers as not sick of the Irish question and
wish to understand it clearly. 1t was al extension
Of lecture delivered before the oxford Architectu
raj and Historical society in 1861. It ran through
several editions The last, cheap one which lies
before Inc, was issued IN 1850. when Irish discon-
tent was just entering its present acute stage.
| cannot without encroaching too mach on your
lent essay must restrict myself TO few very short
extracts which have direct bearing the present
Irish troubles and which will illustrate sufficiently
for my present purpose the spirit and aim Of the
book. Ii must be borne in mind IN realizing them
that Mr.. Smiths conclusions inductiOus from
tine events of six centuries. and caLnOt he weakened
upset by the occurrences OF this year or last year
lie accounts for the Irish peasants dislike of the
English land tenure and it, attendant legal reia-
tions and obligations by asking:
Has property IN land, according to the English system,
presented i, 70 him. I'm the course Of MS history, Ia the
form Of security Independence. domestic happiness dis-
nifty and hope Ha II not rIihc- presented Itself 10 him
would too much lly that modern Irish agrariansm
he direct offspring of primitive Irish Institutions; but
ism rather the offspring of barbarism prolonged by
unhappy circumstances andbad government thn OF any
thing more deserving Of unqualified Indignation PIP 2Ol
After speaking with much vehemence of the de-
grading tyranny TO which the Cromwellian settlers
converted into landed gentry. subjected the native
Irish tenantry, h. adds:
Assnoral restraints on the increase population
removed by the compulsory ignorance into which Profess
Catholic peasantry. and by the abect wretchedness OF
their lot me re'y na"eS of proride"ce and h1tgny
idea OF comfort cleanliness could find place In their
minds. No wonder that they wallowed. swine-lihe.
aT%cr7 ~ mr. c5ajitjo@ ro"G hre 6ee" as cy ce,e
ILc economical riytues Of MN are de)endent on cc1
10 prod',ce them in him, Or N rem hu from the
opposite rices 20" Dt1St place hiD In Crordb" ccttt-
siances predchng aHd penalties are atite ram.
Early the Eighteenth century great murraIn among
the cattle the Continent caused the price of Irish cattle
rse and grazing and 10 become more valuable Large
grazing farms then formed IN many places and cot
eviced from the potato grounds 10 make room
for them Lord Charcmont and other patriots speak OF
this oppression. Political economy would hold that
the landlords IN this instance carried into effect the be
hrss OF nature and they did hing whole
by turning the land 70 the most valuable pur
10 7 sjs,rc a the coers s are e HSGs F fO
Gnd teo Christians, not mere mofetat ob'idc ey 10 hts
tr6m me rhich eg ARE. and Which their G50r md
MGo Meir class has 99de oWtfui rthom r,grid -
mate ,rny tor he plough. p l49-50-5l.
Speaking Of the evcti0ns large scale which
began in the Eighteenth century. he says:
But Notwithstanding these outlets the island became
utterly overcharged mortal struggle for existence be;
tithe procOr- the other then commenced and cen
The atroeiti.. pepntratcd bv the whtsboEs. espe-
caily In the early period OF aHaranlsm t0r they
afterwari grew somewhat less nhumln, are such "a TO
make the nesh creep No language an De 700 su9ns VI
speaking Of the horrors " such state or society BW
uould he unjust IN coaOund these GJrdridn consptrtccS
w'M olNHdYcrme, Or 10 suppose nn' mry "PR E,o-
peHSy ~ ort"dB crime either on me part NJ ose ~ho
commit then, or on ne part ofe eopie V1o conhioe at
In plain truth the secret tribunals which
Wild law Of social morality. by which, the whole the
Interest o the peasant was protected lhey were ho
Germany in the middle ages, the existence OF which ana
the submission Of the people TO their Jrsdcton implied
the presence Of much Violence but not OF mulch depraV
n.y. considering the widncss OF the times The WhtebOys
found in their favor already existing general ana act
tied hItre OF the Law tue great body OF the peas
antry W. hare hOV pch the tar. md me onSic
Cfe 'qr hat dOe ~ deScrc ne PEASANTS lore We hare
sec f9o ia chdf successive GSes prperB ma pfeSeHed
itself ~ his mimi rrSi as opcn rapinc, then rs rob6ery
c0yicd IN hr uJt the rOgush echHtc0ifcS " az diet
code dnqilg icyq-,d anil sys,cm 6-cf OPPRESSION.
Was posSbe thai he shoiod hare ormed 50 a1econaie
either for iaic property Vod be pr0of
against me pressure Of SfarrdtOHi
OF the Union. he says
That measure. however wise aud however beneficial in
IT, ultimate effects. could not immediately remedy the |
evils which had accumulated during SIX disastrous cen
turtles. and which had been recently aggravated by
terrible civil II could not at alay the resent
mcnt OF the oppressed que the tYrannica pride OF