The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-07-09
IRELAND,s DELIVERANoE.


time is failure, Gladstone having fallen
short of Endorsement by considerable num-
Der. 1t now appears that the majority against
him will be almost or quite large enough to
have clear working majority, SO that, posi-
/ bly,, the Tories will constitute an independent
Ministry on the basis of Salisburys policy.
This is to be regretted, as it had come to be
| believed that the time had arrived when a
larger measure Of justice should be accorded
the Irish people in the matter Of controlling
! local legislation. Americans were Of opinion
that the English people would now consent
that something approaching home rule should
be given the people of Ireland, and, in this
belief, contributed tens of thousands of dol
| lars to forward the campaign in that interest.
1t is discouraging to realize that this hope
must be indefinitely postponed, and that the
future of it is uncertain. But a reverse is not
Railways without some compensation in the way
of indicating what caused the disappointment
1t is the duty of the friends of Ireland to real
eize what it was that defeated the legislation
that Mr.. Gladstone contemplated in behalf of
the people of Ireland.
Primarily, perhaps, it must be ascribed to
the ancient prejudice of the English to the
Irish. For centuries they have represented
antagonistic interests in the church. Ireland
has been and is intensely Catholic in her sym
pathies and belief. Nothing else can hope to
portion of Ireland. So great has been the
feeling of hostility toward any other religion
in the south Of Ireland that innumerable con-
fiicts have resulted from the attempts made to
introduce other religions in that country.
There could be but one result to this clash
of interests, and it has had the effect of edu-
eating the people of either country to distrust
the sincerity and good will of the other. 1t
is lamentable that religion, of all things,
should have been the means of keeping these
two peoples at enmity with each other so long
and with no promise of anything better in
the future. So long as this bitterness con-
tinues there can be little hope of generous
legislation, nor will full justice be done so
long as the dominant power feels that its CO.
religionists may suffer under the government
that is asked to be set up in Ireland in greater
freedom from home government. History
and experience give no guaranty of exemption
/ 4lo ~,
have disgraced the past. So long as this feel
ing obtains there will be no solution of this
vexed question, and the people of Ireland
will be deprived of civil rights that they
should enjoy.
1t is but fair to say that both are to blame
in this thing, IS it has been made evident du-
ring the past few weeks that the Protestants
of Ulster are little, if any, more tolerant than
their Catholic fellow Irishmen of Cork There
is too much fight in the Irish nature to guar
antee safety for the minority 1t should now
be the policy of the majority to so conduct it.
| self as to win the confidence of their ancient
enemies, and to show them that their co. re-.
lgionists will be respected in their rights after
Ireland has been accorded hers. No country
can afford to prescribe any man for his relg-
ious views and expect to receive better con-
cession from the friends of the man who is
thus oppressed. From this day forward the
people of Ireland should exert themselves to
give every guaranty of the fullest religious
liberty to all men within her borders This
not only to facilitate the accomplishment of
her political deliverance, but as a policy to be
observed in all time to come. 1t is time that
the prejudice of centuries be swept away and
that Ireland be brought abreast of the times.
The people of Ireland are not numerically
able to wiring from England the rights
that should be granted, and so long
as the feeling of distrust that now lives
in the breast of Englishmen remains there is
no possibility of home rule being accorded
The English are very like other peoples--they
do not intend to abandon their co.religionists
to the mercies of hostile church No people
would, and it is foolish to ask it, for it will
never be granted. What Ireland needs more
than anything else at this critical juncture is
peace. 1t wants to demonstrate that the an
cient implacable hatred of the Catholic for
the Protestant and Protestant for the Catholic
is melting away as it should melt away 1t
is a shame upon Christianity that the churches
that profess to believe in the same essential
doctrines should for centuries be engaged in
the horrible pastime of cutting each others
throats The plan of terrorizing the English
has been tried and found to be failure Now