Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-30
IREhAND's sELFGOvERNMENT.
The Three Plans Proposed by which 1t
is Hoped to Accomplish that End.
Fgom tae Ne1o York Star.

From tho Nep York Star.
That the question OF Irish autonomy is
seriously under consideration in the lead
ing circles OF British Tory and Liberal
Wing leaders no one who has kept apace
with the utteranees Of their prominent
men has any doubt. Mr.. Herbert Glad
stone, son Of the ex-Premier, in a speech
delivered a few days ago, said it was
only a question of a very short time
when Ireland would be granted local
achievement. There are three
kinds Of local government proposed,
one by the English statesmen,
two by the Irish leaders. The fret is to
grant a county board for the transaction
of county business, something like q
grand jury or supervisors with enlarged
powers. The first Of those proposed by
the National leaders is home rule, and
the second a repeal OF the legislative
union. The difference between these two
is more sentimental than real, but either
one would be hailed with delight by the
people or ireland. The county board
rule, no doubt, would remove a great
many evils, but it would never meet with
the support OF either home rule or q re-
peal Of the union.
The cause Is obvious. The Irish people
never consented TO a union with England.
and her best men never approved 1t. DR..
johnson told Burke never 10 sanction it,
because it might not 90 good 20 England
but il would ruin Ireland, and cause her
forever 70 be "a mourning Rome, dan
gerous Rome" All the leading men Of
the Protestant religion who could not be
purchased by title or gold opposed 1t. No
Catholic had voice in the matter. No
Catholic was eligible to sit in Parliament,
and of course twO-thlrds OF the people had
nothing 70 do with its passage. The cor
rupt members OF the Irish House OF Com
mons were the men who bartered away
the independence OF Ireland for money,
for places Ia the English peerage.
The members OF the Irish House Of Com
mons who supported Pitt In his daring
scheme were natives OF Ireland, 10 Is true,
but they we're not lrlshmen, but English
men, in the legal and social meaning Of
the term, as are their prototypes in Cana
da, India aud Australasia. To the day Of
his death the famous Dean Swift could
never tolerate being called an lrishman,
although ne was native or Ireland, and
one Of the most unrelentiug, as he was the
ableat, OF the enemies Of the British crown
I'm it's dealings with the people Of Ireland.
The Duke OF Wellington, too, never liked
20 be called an Irishmau, although his
fathers were long occupants OF the Morn
ington estate on the banks OF the Boyne.
Mr.. Herbert Gladstone nas visited Ire
land. as has his distinguished father.
How far his reading Of English literature
aud contact with the people OF the west
ern island have influenced him in the
grave statement referred 10 no one knows.
II a., however, one that shall not be lost
sight Of ia the great contest for power
which is about 20 commence In the Brit
ish islands-a struggle never witnessed
before In England, becauue hundreds OF
thousands have been raised within the
past year from dieiranchisement 20 free
dom who Will exercise their power for the
common good and Obliieraie forever those
burning feuds which are a disgrace 70 the
age aud an irreparabl0 Injury not only 10
EnQlishmen, but to Irishmen and Scotch
men.
The truth is, EnRlishmen begin 10 see
that the initiative Of the conquest o. Ire
land was wrong and the act Of union Of
1900 iniQuitous. The former was never
complete; the latter could never exist but
az Il nas--''a mourning Rome, danger
Gus Rome"