The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1885-06-05
IRELAND TIE PIVOT AFTER ALL.

AhEIAND In Al8Ss
The gravity and urgency of the con-
stitutional problems raised by the i'm
perative demands of the Irish National
lists were never more sigUallv demon
strated than by the disagreement among
British Ministers regarding the Crimes
act and other measures bearing on the
government OF Ireland. Here is a Cab
net that held together under the torrent
OF obloquy poured on the abortive out
come of the Soudan demonstration, and
that showed an unbrOken front to the
rude assaults provoked by its miscOn-
duct Of the Afghan controversy. now
racked with dissensiOn and brought to
the edge Of rupture by Irish questions
that for the last six months seemed bur
led and forgotten, or. at all events, post
poned to a new Parliament.
The lull in the discussion of Irelapd's
affairs might no doubt have been pro-
longed through the expiring hours of the
present House of Commons if Earl
Spencer and the other Whig members of
the Cabinet had been content, while
putting of all projects locking to ad-
mlnlstrative and agrarian meliOratiOn,
to defer also their own scheme for per-
petuating coercion by a reenactment Of
sAAR CAtb HNI. L " Alc Illto COllCd& .
OF Lord Spencer who represent the Brit
ish Radcals-MT. Chamberlain. Sir
Charles Dixie, and Mr.. Shaw-Lefevre-
/ there was something peculiarly mop
perfume, unfair, and exasperating in
/ this inflsXible adherence 20 the purpose
of coercion. because it has been repeat
edly admitted Gy the ViceToy and the
/ Chief Secretary themselves that for some
time Ireland has been and is now eXcep-
tionally free from crimes of violence
/ There has thus ceased to be a pretext
for interference with the ordinary law
governing arrest and trial by Jury, and
Radicals like Mr.. Morley and Mr.. Jo-
seph Coweu, who voted only with eX-
treme reluctance for the Grimes act in
the first instance, could not without a
glaVing breach of faith sanction any
further application of its anomalous
provisions.
We are told that the number OF Radi-
cal seceders from the Ministerial ranks
I on the question of renewed coercion
viii not fall short of fifty. and that the
coalition against Lord Spencer's project
will be Joined by some forty ConseIva-
tive members whom Lord Randolph
Churchill has persuaded to compete
with the Radicals for the good will of
the Home Rulers. 1t is not, indeed,
expected that Mr.. Parnell Mr. Morley,
| and Lord Randolph together can muster
more than 120 votes, but this demon
stratiOn NAV so strengthen the hands of
Mr.. Chamberlain and the other two
Radical leaders within the Cabinet that
Mr.. Gladstone in the end NAV range
himself upon their side. No man knows
Oetter than the Premier how grossly dis
pTOpOTtiOuate is the actual prepOnder-
ance OF the Whig element in the Minis
try to the influence of Whig traditions
over the huge constituency created by
tie last Reform act. And if he intend
ed to retain :he active headship of his
party, Mr. Gladstone would even now
pay more heed to the opinions of Messrs.
! Chamberlain and Dixie than to those of
all the Wing members of the present
. Cabinet combined.
The attempt to cOnciliate the Radi-
| Gals by Offering to amend the purchase
| clauses Of the Land act during the term
| of the present Parliament has miscar-
/ Tied for two reasons first. because the
/ proposed conditions of sale are said to be
/ more favorable to landlords than to ten
/ ants; and. secondly. because no meas.
ure of the kin6 could be carried out ac-
( ceptably to the Irish people under the
I
/ English Radicals have at last awakened
( to the fundamental truth that reform
I legislation Cor Ireland has hitherto be
/ gun at the wrong end, and that the first
{ thirg needed is a radica! TRANSFORMED ion
/ of the machinery for enforcing the laws.
! Accordingly, Mr.. Morley and his friends
/ have for some time seconded Mr.. Par
( nell in cOntendiBg that Local Govern
meDt bill ought to precede even a Land
/ Purchase bill. To insist. as Lord Speu-
Ger Goes, that 4 new Coercion bill should
! take precedence of both. is TO offer Ire
/ land a stone when she has been clamOr-
/ ing for bread.
There may be some ground for the re-
/ ports that the Wing and the Radical
members of the Cabinet will agree upon
! a compromise by which certain clauses
! Of the Grimes act would he reanacted
/ for one year onlv. Such an arrange
ment would be virtual victory for the
Radicals. who are certain to dec;siveIy
outnumber the Wings in the next House
. " Y. Sun.