The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-24
IRISH HOME RIFLE.

ton, and has not been disappointed. The
people of Ulster-men, women and children
received him with an enthusiasm that
attested their intense feeling on the
great question of the hour-that of Irish
home rule, or independence in local govern
ment. His reception everywhere was marked
by the most uproarious enthusiasm; his ap-
pearance was the signal for prolonged cheers.
When he aroseto speak at Belfast, at night, he
was unable to begin his remarks for the space
of fully seven minutes, so great was the tu-
multi of applause. During the day the streets
of the city were literally packed with people,
so that for hours traffic was unable to proceed.
Orange badges were conspicuous everywhere,
so that there could be no mistaking the sig
niicance of the remarkable demonstration.
The display of feeling was an object lesson to
the home government, and to the rest of Ire
land. 1t will not be lost on England, nor on
Scotland. The latter at Stranrear, gave Lord
Churchill most cordial bon voyage attesting
unqualified sympathy with his mission.
At this juncture with the tendency toward
granting Irish autonomy in affairs purely
Irish, some such uncovering of the question
was imperative; it was necessary to demon
strate in manner that admitted of no dis
| pute, that the Irish were not unit in de-
manding home rule With the balance of
power in Parliament in the hands of the Irish
Nationalist, and the Wings, and Tories, and
Radicals at swords point on questions affect
ing the foreign policy of the government, it
was wisdom to recall attention to the
fact that there is more in the Irish
question than political and social injustice.
An Irish Parliament would stop the mouth of
the Irish Nationalist, perhaps but it would
raise other questions even more perplexing to
the home government, and among them that of
religious liberty and freedom from persecu-
| ton. The Protestants of Ulster, and they
constitute about half the population, dread
home rule because they foresee that they
would be in hopeless minority for all time
/ to come. Knowing the implacable hostility
Of Irish Catholics to all things not Catholic,
they pray to be spared subsection to such a
hateful oppression as would possibly follow
the re-establishment of the Irish Parliament
Their cry went up on Monday in volume
| that made them heard all over the kingdom,
and it will be astonishing if it has not its in
tended effect in arousing the people of Eng
land to fresh realization of the threatened
danger to their fellow-churchmen in Ireland.
The island will continue to be overwhelm-
ingly Catholic in its belief nor is it
likely that any attempt will ever be made by
the government to change this fact. Ulster
is the only province that is Protestant in it's
sympathies, and that, if it be So only by a
very narrow majority.
| The experience of the men of Ulster or
such as are Protestants and Orangemen, has
been very bitter when brought into contact
with Catholics and it has been worth a man S
life, almost, to be caught wearing the hateful
orange badge The 18th of July has been made
memorable by scores of bloody riots whenever
and wherever Orangemen attempted to pa
rade. The hate and bitterness of prescription
has crossed the sea, and in free and enlight-
ened America men have been murdered be-
cause they dared don the prescribed color.
1t is this that Protestant Ulster breads in
event of Irish home rule. And it was Church
ill's purpose to again demonstrate this we'll
founded dread, toturn back the tide that may set
in the direction sought by Parnell and his fol-
lowers. 1t were the part of wisdom for Cath
Ollie Ireland to put its religion in the back
ground in purely political fight. 1t defeats
| itself when demanding political freedom by
practicing religious tyranny and prescription.
Ireland is divided and weakened because of
fanaticism that should have absolutely moth
| ing to do with the case in hand. Just so Ions.
as Irish Catholicism is intolerant Ireland
must be content to get what it can from
majority across the channel that cannot bring
its mind to abandon its friends to the mercies
of local majority that detests and hates
them with hatred that stops not short of
murder. Religion has done and is doing much
to keep Ireland in bondage. Religious liber-
ty, freely conceded and honestly guaranteed,
would bring political freedom in less than ten
years.
THE intelligent business man is little
/ slow sometimes in learning where his hest in