The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-02-26
PGRSELL AND GLADSTONE.

Irelaud's we'll wishers will scan Ear
rowly the illusions to the new Govern
meDt's Irish policy made on the re-aS-
sembling of Parliament Cd Thursday.
But because Mr.. Gladstone's deciaTa-
tions at the outset are less definite than
could be wished, we will not hold MIN /
convicted Of the perfidy and vacillation
which the Tories artfully impnte TO
him. We can safely credit Mr.. Parneil
with thorough knowledge of the game |
begun in the British House of Commons |
and as long as he vOuches for the rlghL |
intentions and staunch faith OF Tue
Liberal Cabinet, we can suppress I'M
patience at a few weeks delay. ITlsh
patriots. indeed, will be more likely 70
allow time for preparation to an Eng
lish statesman pledged to restore the
Dublin Parliament, now that the Torres
have thrown off the mask, and acknowl-
edged that from them no repeal OF the
Act of Union can be looked for.
Let us mark exactly what took place
IN the House of Commons or Thursday
evening. Mr.. Gladstone said that be
should shortly propose measures OF a
substantive character with regard 10
Ireland, dealing with the three qnes-
tions OF social order, OF land tenure and
| of Government and a specific method
| of solving the last-named problem would
be propounded. The promotion OF or
| der, he said, would not be sought by
| recurrence to coercion, aud this mega
| tive assurance should be weighed In
connection with .he announcement pre-
viously made by the Secretary for Ire
| land, Mr.. Morley, that steps would De
/ taken to suspend evictions, which, now
| that boycOtting prevents the acquisition
OF new tenants, are inspired by anlmos-
| isty rather than by any hope or gam.
But are we to infer that the three sub
jects of reform are to be taken up sue
cessively, as they were mentioned, and
not simultaneously ? Upon this very
inquiry being pressed by Mr.. ?lunkett,
! a Conservative, we are told that Mr..
| Gladstone emphatieally shook his head.
| He could not, OF course, plead ignorance
of what was distinctly recalled to him
in the course of the same evening, that,
namely, the time has gone by when Ire
land will be put off with half loaf,
and that it is the ultimatum Of his Par
nellite allies that a scheme OF land pur-
chase shall not precede, but accompany
a project of Home Rule. Finally, as
to the date at which detailed state
ment of the PremieT's plans might be
expected. this it was affirmed would
not be later than March %, by which
time the urgent financial business would
be disposed of.
The Tories evidently count on this
delays provoking irritation and suspi-
cioG in the Irish party. They are try
ing to goad the Parnellites into tao
tical mistake by passing aC Carleton
Club meeting a superfiuos resolution 10
support them in demanding that the
discussion of Home Rule shall precede
, the consideration of land reform. But
, Irishmen are perfectly aware that the
Conservative outcasts from office viii
vote with them upon that or any otheI
question which seems to offer an occa
! sion of regaiuing power. They are il
DO special hurry, however to break with
, one statesman who has pledged his
word to give them legislative independ
ence, nor 90 they think that tnev would
[ gain much by turning over the Govern
menU TO men defiantly and inexOTably
> | resolved to refuse a Parliament to Ire
: land. In short, Irishmen cOmpor
themselves in This hour Of suspense witt
: the GOODNESS and good sense Of manhood
: and not with the peevish puerility thai
> their enemies impute to them. Tha
they will not crafty the Tories by hasty
prejudgment and premature exaspera-
ton IS plain from the calm Language
y uStu Nv MI Z dllCAl III AZ VIC v
] with the Tribupe'S London correspond
= ent. Pointing out the fact that l. j
. but three days since the new Cabinet
held its first meeting. the Irish chic
) pronounces it but reasonable that tht
s new Ministry should have the few
: weeks asked for in order to elaborate
, the reforms proposed for Ireland. But
while he freely grants the time needed
: for the formation of grave measures, h'
z is careful to say that there must be NJ
: double-dealing or shortcOming in TIN
outcome of the Ministerial deliberations
! He warns the Government that should
it attempu to shelve Home Rule by al
antecedent discussion, It would serious
e ly mistake the feelings o. the Irish pec-
! pie.
a These are the words of truth and so
berness, andthey will he heartily ap
proved by Irisb-A mericans, who hav
: learned by the history of their adopted
. ! country that reforms involving nothing
I less than constitutional amendment
cannot be disposed CT in a day. Th'
wisdom of our forefathers assembled il
the Federal Convention and in the Con
3 ventions of the several States required
8 years to substitute or present Constitu
a tion for the old defective Confederation
: 1t may well take weeks to 1x upon ;
practicable substitute for the Act o
Union between Great Britain and Ire
land, whose repeal must revolutiouiz
: the existing relations between thos
a king 1oms.-N Y. Sun, Feb. 20.