National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-18
mrho Red Ahoro tho nrnnn. ;,

This is the war cry with which Mr.. Albert
H. G. Gray, member OF parliament for
Tyneside, states he is about TO face his con-
stituents to-day. Ilo further adds, ave
shall be known as the Union Jack party
aud the union jack will win" Mr.. Gray
Is the recognized whip OF Lord Harrington
and OF the new political party known as
unionist liberals.
According to Mr. smalley, OF the New
York Tribune, the tories call themselves
'unionists" and denounce the Gladstcnlaus
as "dsunlonists" or 'sseparationists." Mr..
Gladstone calls the tories not "unionists,r y
but paper unionists, and the somewhat
fiat entertainment OF two great political par
ties calling each other nicknames goes on
with the yigor Of a fshwlfe controversy.
No amount OF name.calling, however,
can alter the fact that the issues upon
which Mr.. Gladstone goes TO the country
are strongly stated and clearly defined.
There was time when he also believed
that the red above the green was the norm II
and necessary symbol Of English predoml-
nance in Ireland. lie has had the expert
ence OF fifty years to show him that this
arrangement Of colors is not normal, neces-
sary, or even expedient The gentlemen
who are so devoted TO the union that, like
Henry V In his relations with France, they
will not part with an acre OF Ireland, are
preparing great speeches in defense Of
glorious union which has never existed.
The tories themselves would acknowledge
that the Orange party in the
north Of Ireland is body OF
transplanted English or Scotch men who
were sent across the channel to guard the
island for England They are In the pro-
portion Of one to five of the native Irish, and
iflefttotheir own resources would long since
have been driven back to their original
homes, or compelled to keep civil tongues
in their mouths, and take share and share
alike with their Catholic fellow countrymen.
But they never have relied on their own re-
sources. They have been the pampered fa-
vorites Of the English government, backed
by splendid educational advantages, aud,
until recently, by magnificent eccleslastl-
cal establishment. They have always been
sustained in their attitude of contemptuous
superiority by standing army varying at
times from $4,000 to 10000 men,
which, when we consider that co.
600 soldiers are deemed sufficient
for the 10000, 900 of the United States, Is a
goodly number Of red coats to look after
the military requirements OF 100000 OF
lrlshmen. The duties OF this army In
ireland have always been ~ to maintain
the union God save the mark What
union2 II It ever had been anything more
than what Mr.. Gladstone calls ''paper
union," whence arose the necessity for pro-
tectng It with the aid of $4,000 soldiers
and 10000 policemen The latter differ
only from the English soldiers in that they
are Irishmen, dressed in dark green instead
Of brickbat hue, better trained, better edu-
Gated, and more war.llke than any regiment
In the English service.
The second duty OF this military force
has been to keep order between the
Protestants and Catholics (; to protect the
former in the enjoyment Of all their privl-
leges, and to keep the latter in their nat
ural state Of subjection-in other words, to
help Mr.. Gray's party in keeping ''the red
above the green"
1t is proyerbiaiy an easy task to rule in
state of siege, and from the time OF Queen
Elizabeth until the present moment Ireland
has been in state OF siege. If this is
union, what is disunionP
And yet, having entered upon the last
quarter Of the nineteenth century, men OF
intellect, of splendid training, and OF high
social position are going before con-
stituencies In Great Britain and Ireland to-
day with the charge against Mr.. Gladstone
that he wants to break up this wonderful
''union;n that they, on the contrary, mean
10 defend and guard this ''unlon,n and
that they propose to do so according to all
the established methods, employed time out
of mind, for keeping the ''red above
the green"
But these would-be autocrats are mis-
taken In their reckonings. Mr.. Gladstone,
who never refers TO a red or a green flag, as
he wishes to invest neither symbol with the
slightest natural, social, or political supe-
riority over the other, opens his campaign
this afternoon in the north of England,
whence he invades the enemy's territory In
Scotland. No man but anidiot or weather.
prophet would attempt to map out the re-
suit, but the probabilities are all on his side.
The winds and the waves Of public opinion
are with him. "Ie has great allies. His
friends are civilizations, agonies, and love,
and mans unconquerable mind"
But whether Mr.. Gladstone wins or loses
this time Mr.. Gray will soon have to make
his two flags float parallel.