The Evening critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1881-1885, 1885-02-02
THE EDNUNDS BILL
Views of a Prominent IriSh-Amerl-
can On the Measure.
HE CLAIMS 1T IS TRUCULENT.
He Believes That the Perpetrators OF
the English Outrages IRE to
Be Found Only In
England.


Reuben Carroll and Colonel james Cav
apagb, of the New York Sixty ninth Rogi-
ment, and his attention being called TO q
stating that Mr.. Patrick Ford
had come to press tho Edmunds bill aud
resolutions decrying tho use of dynamite,
and his views being asked upon the same
by a CRITIC reporter, said:
a. have evidently been COMPOUNDED with
my uncle, who is working away in his
establishments in New York, doing all In
his power to counteraci English Influence
in this country. AS TO the Edmunds bill,
consider it truculent, unpatriotic aud
mischievous. Edmunds and Bayard, aud
the others who have been compromising |
this country by their childshly-panicky
bills and resolutions, should 20 to school to
Inspector Byrnes, Of the New York police
force. Let England look ut home, said |
he. We are not paid for doing her police |
duty This is not tho work of ordinary |
criminals. Higher intelligence than that |
the ordinary criminal is made OF conceived
and executed these explosions. England
stands on the verge of social revolution
but, blinded by race prejudice and pride,
cannot see it. She must look higher up
than she has been looking. Let her look at
home say.
That's really the sum of it all, and those
who have been so quick in their unpatri-
otto work of accusing American citizens,
by implication, Of things whose authorship
is yet mystery, ought to take the lesson
to heart. England has force enough aud
wealth enough to take care of herself and
should be left TO do it without U. s. Senators
entering the lists as bloodhounds for her.
1t is shameful that, even by inference, the
responsibility in these matters should be
brought to our doors by our own Tepresen-
tatiVes Inspector Byrnes is right. LIST
England look at home. There are outraged
Irishmen enough in London to do these
things without any outside holp, and you
will find no true representative of Irish
American opinion denouncing them. Fur
ther, think l can say, as an American
myself and from my business and social
connections, that there are few men who
have q better opportunity o. knowing the
real sentiments of the American people than
| have. Mr.. Edmunds and Mr.. Bayard
do not represent them American sym
pathies arc with Ireland aud with every
people struggling for liberty. Wendell
| Phillips-God bless his memory voiced
| American sentiment when he said: If
| liberty is right it is worth fighting for;
| and if struggling humanity, 1000 miles
| away, refuses to adopt the weapons the
oppressor would choose for it, why, it is
not for us to judge. There is no senti-
| inent in war
Sand Ireland aud England are at war aud
mankind owes debt of gratitude TO the
Irish nation for continuing its struggle. 1t
is the only example in the worlds history
| where, through centuries, the spirit of
freedom has prevailed against the policy of
determination. Irelaud's threatening at
titude made American nationality possible
| in our late war of the rebellion Ireland
was our most efficient ally in preventing
| England's active hostility toward US; Ire
land 5 land war gave liberty and peace 20
| the Beers, and to-day, If ireland would be
| passive and let England withdraw her o.
| eco armed men, whose barracks command
every cross. road of that little island, Ell
Nahdi and his brave American and Irish
| officers would have less chance than they
have. In London, q little over a year ago.
| when we were trying to save au American
citizen, Patrick o Donnell, President Kru-
ger, of tho Dutch Republic, thanked the
Irish people through my aunt, Miss Ellen
Ford, for the assistance given him, not only
by Irshmen on the battlefield but by the
Irish compelling England TO employ her
army in collecting rack-rent in Ireland.
Johnny Bull is q staggering braggart, al
ways poking his nose in other peoples
business, but Ireland has put him under
bonds TO keep the peace"
But do you not think it wrong TO have
innocent people suffer- asked the reporter
"That hypocritical 'womea and chill
dren' business" said Mr.. Ford, "has beer
played for all it is worth. Why. thert
hasn't been one injured so far In wars thu
innocent always suffer with the guilty. w,
are bound to hear all about the. Innocent
when Johnny gets hurt, but those whom
bis troopers are slaughtering in India, Al
RIGA and elsewhere count for nothing. IL
doesn't want the massacres in Ireland re
called He would like just now TO hav
the world forget the massacres of Dro
gheda, Mullaghmast, Kildare and Wexford
aye Wexford-where thousands of Irsl
wives aud daughters gathered round tn
great Celtic Cross in the hope that thu
sight of the Redeemer's emblem would saw
them from outrage and slaughter, but /
didn't.
81 grant you that the explosion of dyna
mite for the destruction Of innocent peopl
las in the case Of the British when tho
blew up the families of the Basutos i
their caves would be a heinous crime, bu
the destruction of innocent people is Incl
dental TO all wars. IL is the penalty eS
acted by Justice for the violation of he
laws by States and nations. The innOcen
must suffer with the guilty. In our war q
the revolution thousands Of innocents wer
slain, but this was unavoidable to socuT
our liberties. So of all nations of all ma
tional struggles for liberty. 10 ia very ev
dent that the destruction of human life wa
. not the purpose of the men who planne
, those explosions. They were evidently me
Of superior intelligence, who, by the ski
. exhibited in doing their work with so littl
injury to persons, have shown that to brin
y home sense of responsibility to Englan
4 in her dealings with other peoples, rather
!, was their object. They have done tbs
! successfully and il now lies with Englan
herself, by continuing her repressions
d Ireland, whether these explosions will
Q kept up
!, What then, is your remedy ~ inquire
the reporter.
= MI. Ford replied; 81 am perfectly sati
!. fed that if England would do the sensib
Q thing-say to the Irish Go; there's yol
r country for you, aud do what you like wit
> it'-these acts OF retaliation would ceas
and Englishmen could rest easier. The
conscience and the way TO their consclonc
their pockets, would be benefited. III
money now used TO cover the Irish cou
then DO devoted TO housing the 1000
creatures of God who wander about d
streets Of London every night-half
whom, as DR.. Bernardo, Of the Home III
siOns, says, have never known what q hon
4 is.' Were England to repent IN sackclOt
and ashes for the remainder Of her da,
j she could not atone for all the innocel
blood she has split to keep the Irish poop
IN misery and subseryience. The past '
are willing to forget just as soon az 6
gives substantial evidence that sue has c
perienced a change Of heart necessary TO al
instatement in grace. That which exOrcia
the devil In her quickest, BIO IL moral
physical agent, viii receive no word Of co
tfoy, from mo