The Northwestern standard., 1886-04-03
SATURDAY, ApRIIs 3, 1885.
THE IRISH QUESTION.

THE IRISH QUESTION,
One OF the arguments frequently adj
vanced by individuals who are vindic-
tigely opposed to Home Rule is, thai
presuming ireland was granted the
power to enact her own laws her people
would not be able TO govern themselves
yesponsibly. In the light Of past events,
to any mind capable Of reasoning with
out being prejudiced by foolish, syco-
phantic reverence for the despotic laws
administered by England toward the
Emerald Isle, the honesty Of this mode
of reasoning will not occur with strik-
ing force Has not ireland produced
men who are the peers, intellectually,
Of the natives Of any country upon the
Lords green footstool As impartial
and intelligent debaters where can the
superiors Of Grattan, Burke and Curran
be found? looking back over the al
most interninable list OF Irish states
men, poets, soldiers, etc, both Catholic
and Protestant, the names OF such men
SIS Lord Fitzgerald, Sheridan, Plunkett,
Sir John Moore, the soldier, Thomas
Moore, the poet, Emrneb, O'Brien and
the Duke Of Wellington pass before us
In glorious array, Here IN the United
States many Of the sons OF Ireland and
their descendants are to be found occu-
pying seats within the halls of congress;
III the Canadian House Of Commons
there are probably more natiye-born
Irishmen than either Scotch or English;
and we have never heard that any Of
them lacked the faculty of reason in any
remarkable degree, but on the contrary
they have ever proved themselves lions
IN debate The old Irish Parliament
towers far up into the heavens both as
regards Intelligent debate and legisla- |
tive rhetorie.
Home Rule for Ireland does not
mean, as rabid ioyahsts would have it
understood, the disintegration of The
British Empire; it is simply separate
Parliament, such as the people Of Cam
ada possess. All that the Nahonalists
desire is the truly modest privilege Of
being permitted to say what is for the
benefit Of their country and what is not,
and to sanction the same by q domesti-
Gated governing authority 1t Is only .
fanatioal minority, composed chiefly of
Orapgemen, many of whom can scarcely
indicate the date Of the battle of the
Boyne with any degree Of accuracy, who
desire matters 10 remain III the same
iachrymabIe condition as they are,
that is ireland must be governed by
military ru]e-40, 900 men are to gar
rison ii an Orange constabulary force
is to assist the army, aud Ireland, so far
rs three-foprths Of the people are con-
cerned, is tooontinue III the discontented
and disturbed condition which has pre-
vailed since the repeal Of the union In
1923 Ever since that date Ireland
may be said to have been governed by
M hireling constabulary force and the
English army, and has cost England
hundreds If millions of dollars, amidst
the discomfort, poverty, tears and
gronns, of partially ensLaved peasantry
Jsandlordisln and English indifference, or
hatred, have been her curse. She was
robbed of her Legislature by corruption
in 1902. and the names of her SOM are
legion who have suffered the deprivation
Of liberty, and eyen death itself, IN their
conrnendable efforts TO have it justly re-
turned to her
We oan scarcely eall to miad al IN
stance where England has IN any man
ner whatever, even attempted to con-
oiliats her wronged sister Many Of
Irelana's most brilliant statesmen have
been lost to her, and why? Because
they would not subnit to theintolerance
of q people who had no right, divinely
or otherwise, to assume s. domineering
attitude toward them, and to-day
America contains more Irishmen than
does the land of their natiyity
It is hardly TO be wondered At, taking
these facts into consideration, that
people who would play the part Eng
land hss would hesitate for q single mo-
nent IN putting forth any argument, no
matter how contemplate. to frnstrate
the desire q an oppressed race to break
the fetters that hold them fast.
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