The Northwestern standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1885-1886, 1886-02-06


IREL AND Il II PARLIAMENT
sone Prophetic Words Uttered Vt the Time
ofthe Union.
Writing to the Londen Times, on the
18th ult,, M. %. Kavanaugh i. y. % y,
said: The real question at issue isl
or not Ireland is entitled to-
her own Parliament, and, if she is en- ll
titled to self eminent, what practi..-l|
cal results will ensue? II the reign 81
JamesI. English power extended AL n 1
over Ireland. The remnants OF the ne
irish nation were admitted to the
fellowship of allegiance, duties and
franchise. Ali Ireland thus had her her
rightful Parliament, and continued TO
have it from 1872 to 1860. The irish
Parliament was thus founded on CON
stitntional principles, sanctioned by
long usage, sustained by analogy to the
English form of government and for "a
fed by the experience OF She colonies '1l
dependencies Of England. a local a Far "a r
lament is the inherent and indefeas-
IDLE right Of subjects of the crown OF
England, wherever they are located in
sufficient numbers to exercise that
right. By the final adjustment OF 1872 y
Ireland's conditions Of her future con- con-
nection with England we're defined.
Her legislative independence was for
mally recognized and established for
ever. England declared perpetual her
exclusive right Of making her own
laws, of Interpreting her own laws,
and Of administering her own laws.
She had the exclusive dominion over
her own taxation, debt and revenue.
ireland had, in practical effect all these
rights, which She was entitled TO ana y;
which she had enjoyed for centuries.
BY the ratification Of this final adjus-
ment Of 1872, England preserved the
most precious gem OF the British us .
crown, and Ireland believed she had Sc e
cured for ever her independence. While
Ireland enjoyed her own Parliament,
peace and prosperity reigned through
out the country. Prosperity was ap-
parent in every department. and in
every branch ommerce was fostered
and increased, agriculture was enconr-
aged and enriched, manufactures were
promoted and extended, the laboring
man became farmer, the farmer rose
to the position OF a gentleman. towns
grew into cities, the population accum-
ulated, and peace, happiness, and pros
perity gladdened the land at every side 1la.
During the fourteen years which sue
ceeded Ireland's legislative indepen-
dence no country on the face OF the
earth made such rapid progress in inn
proyement Of every kind as Ireland did.
Then there came the union-that en-
actment which stands out in Its native
deformity, the mere creature OF fraud,
bribery, terror and corruption, and to
which attribute all the evils of Ire
land. The humiliation If trade and
commerce, the restitution, the misery,
the starvation, the scaffold. all were
accustomed by the union. The leading
feature in the union was the daring
prohigacy Of the bribery and corruption
by which it was carried. Lord Castle
reagh declared in the House Of Com
mons that he would carry the union
theuga y night cost more than half 81
million in mere brides. The parlia-
nentary papers published since the
union show that no less than Ell ,275 600
was paid in the actual purchase money
For close and rotten boroughs. And it.
is calculated that over and above the
borough purchase money no less than
FL 500 600 was paid in brides. The sol
emn words of Lord Plunket, in the,
House Of Commons, against the union,
are: Yourselves you may extinguish,
but the Parliament you cannot ex-
anguish. tits enthroned in the hearts
If the people-it is established in the
sanctuary Of the constitution. 1t is|
immortal as the island it protectsl AS
veil might the frantic maniac hope
hat the act which destroys his miser-
,ble body may extinguish his immortal
,oul Do not dare to lay your hands
lpon the constitution is above your
oower.'' William Saurin, attorney
general for Ireland, said: You may
make the union binding In law, but you
,annot make it obligatory in conscience;
t will be obeyed as long as England is
strong, but resistance to it will be in
he abstract a duty. and the exhibition
# that resistance will be q mere ques-
ion of prudence. Lord Chief-J ustice
burke said: That the basest corrup-
ion and artiHce were exerted to pro-
note it; that all the worst passions of
he human heart were entered into the |
ervice, and all the most depraved inA|
,enuity of the human intellect was
ortured to devise new contriyances of |
raud. But now the Irish leader and
lis colleagues are determined by peace
uI, legal and constitutional means,
Without infringing any law OF man or
ontravening any law of God, in the
bhorr ence and determination OF never
bedding one drop of blood, to demand
or Ireland her just right-her own
'arliarnent.u The immortal soul of the
rish constitution still lives, glorious
nd perpetual-it is not dead, it only
leeps, to be aroused into active exist
nee once again, in more than pristine
and in more than bygone
tillty.