New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-02-07
SUPPLEMENT.
PAGES 9 TO IL.
THE IRISH CRISIS.
MR. LECKY'S vIEWS-THE AGRARIAN AG1-
TATION-LORD CARNARVON.

Mr. Lecky is an Irishman who has written much
and we'll in behalf of his native country Hel not
a politician, he is historian, aud nobody VINO mas
read the Irish portions of his History OF England
in the Eighteenth Century can doubt his aHec'ion
for his native land or his desire to see justice ana
perhaps more than justice, done to her, But he ao-
dresses to The Times a letter which is one long pro-
test against Home Rule in any shape. The essen
tial fact of the Irish question, says MI LecKy' Is
that the party which demands Home huie' Vhe
partv which has won Sc seats in he present
Parliament is party animated ny WV
leading ideas-a desire to plunder tne "hoi0
landed property of the country aud an lnVe'ela'o
hatred of the English connection IN every lclnn'
He refers IN support of this proposition 10 the
speeches of the leaders of that party in Ireland ana
in America. Says Mr.. Lecky:
The marty IN America who are the paymasters ana
the real directors of the whole movement nave
openly uniformly and Ostentatiously avowed thelr
objects.
And he recommends to the incredulous to read
United ireland, the Parnelite organ. mat paper
belongs to the Irish leaders, is edited by one OF
them and has from its foundation preached the new
Nationalist doctrines with conspicuous ability and
with the most uncomprOmsiDg frankness'
Il will venture to say" proceeds MI
Leckv in tone singularly unlike
his usual moderation, THAT any English
statesman who reads that paper and then proposes
to hand over the property and the virtual govern
ment of Ireland to the men whose ideas II repre-
sents must be either traitor or fool"
He does not say under which head he classlhes
Mr.. Gladstone. But perhaps Mr. Gladstone does
not read that interesting sheet. lie Is KNOWN 10
set less value on newspaper testimony than on OH
ciai documents and not TO look out of the window
more than he can help, if we are to believe MI
Hayward.
As for an Irish Parliament. Mr. Lecky. though
defender of Grattans Parliament declares 1t I'M
nossible that any similar Parliament should again
he set up Mr. Parnell has signifed his opinion
that nothing less than Grattan's Parliament
would do 1t is the minimum which he would ac-
cept But Mr.. Lecky pronOunces ii an Impossible
minimum, third of the population OF Ireland,
continues Mr.. Lecky, are loyal to the Union.
This third comprises almost all the Professionals,
the Catholic gentry the great majority OF mo
Catholics in the professions an hose
ous Catholics who in the Army ana the oohstao-
ulary have shown themselves on so many trying &C.
caslOns the most devoted servants OF the Cro"h'
The other two-thirds are disloyal They COM
prise "the poorest, the most ignorant and the most
dependent in country where extreme Ignorance
and poverty are much more common than IN Eng
land" This party has been mainly supported by
foreign subsidies. Their dslOyalty is due in part
10 genuine religious and political luminosity, but IN
great part also " to intimidation to hopes OF plum
der and to belief that the dsloya side is he VIM
ming one" The new franchise has put political
power into the hands of this class with no protec-
ton to minOrities and the minority is so scattered
that though a third in numbers of the whole elect
crate il is able to return to Parliament less than
sixth of the whole number of Irish members. hr.
Lecky does not believe that either Home Rule OF
Local government will improve the condition OF
Ireland.
What is now wanting in Ireland is not extern
sion of local government, but a restoration of the
liberty of the peOpleOf that first and most unda-
mental condition OF liberty, state OF society III
which men may pursue their lawful business and
fulfil their lawful contracts without danger OF
mOlesIatiOn.
On one point however, Mr.. Lecky agrees with
the Nationalist. He thinks that the landlords
must 90. They must be bought ont at reasonable
rate. As to what is reasonable rate Mr.. Lecky
and Mr. Parnell would differ. But a new social
type has TO be created. The class warfare has sc
nearly become a civil war that nothing less THAI
this can appease it.
Celtic proprietary will not bring the millen
num- but If it is established on reasonable terms
If may at least give some security TO property
create a class with some real conservative instincts
and put an end to a struggle that is threatening
the country with the most absolute rum.
give this long summary of Mr.. Leckys letter
not only because Mr. Lecky is dIgnifed figure
for the great body of the best English people
Oeinion much divided on many Irish questions
has come TO an implicit agreement on one thing
There can be settlement and no concession Il
Ireland involving cOnfscation. Mr.. John Morley
stands at one pole of opinion, Mr.. Lecky at the
other and they are absolutely of one mind
on this point. Nothing can be done
said Mr.. John Morley only a week or two ago
until Parliament has passed an act to prevent thu
tenant from confScating the property of the land
lord. Some of the Irish leaders have begun to SCI
this and they tremble as they see IT, because they
well know how large part agrarian cupidity playi
in their agitation. Even Mr. Biggar is reported al
saving he would be willing to give the landlord
ten or twelve years purchase-perhaps half the rea
value of their land. Mr. Gifen, of the first ST a
tIsticians in England has put forward plan 10y
which the landlords are to be paid. England
is to pay them, and yet it is Il
cost England nothing. The scheme ha
not vet attracted much attention in England, bn
Mr. Glffen is a serious man, and not mere juGgle
with figures. He would have England recoup her
self by turning over to Ireland the charges she
paws for local government; and the Irish in thei
turn to yecoup themselves for this new burden b
collecting the rents Verify ii would be turn il
the wheel of fortune if the National League, loca
board practically chosen by the League OF an lrisl
Parliament one or all, should find themselves i
the shoes of the hated rent-colector and land
agent.
That the situation is most grave and that some
thing must be done, and done speedily. the Nation
alists see as plainly as anybody. With all solem
NIFTY and seriousness we say it, we regard tn
state of Ireland from an agarian point OF view I
he as serious to-day as it was during this cen
tury." 1t is the organ of the League which say
that. United Ireland approaches the subject fror
APPOINT of view opposite TO the English, but tn
conclusion is similar. The English see the Iris
landlords in a condition of something like desDai
and restitution the tenants refusing rent; grea
no-rent strike on the near horizon. The Iris
leaders who have strven to bring this to pass ar
appalled, at the prospect. They counted on tn
..oEtl L. ILnnn hf Inc