New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-02


head of his Kingdom.
As theugh nothing should be wanting to the
completion of the eyasperating policy now pur-
sued by Fits Government. the theory was adj
vanced that Catholic Emancipation was impossible
on the ground that at would violate the funda-
mental principles Of the Constitution, as cstab-
ishcd by the Revolution. 1t would he contrary
to the Coronation oath by which The King held his
throne, to the Bill OF Rights, 10 the comnact on
which the connection Of the two countries de-
pended" As Mr. Lecky puts it: In other words,
the Catholics, at n time when the most cautious
and conciliatory policy imperatively required.
were told on high Government authority that
their disqualfcations were permanent and in
deliblc essential to the connection of their country
with England essential to the maintenance of the
mOnarchcal constitution under which they lived"
The programme was now put forward with energy
The Government majority against the bill CT.
Protest and remonstrance were unavailing against
systematic parliamentary venality. The nation was
openly, VIGOROUSLY and shameessly msrcpresentcd.
From this time" writes the historian, THE Cath
Ole question lost most OF its prominence in the
Irish Parliament, and from this time there is
scarcely page OF Irish history which good
man can look with pleasure. Anarchy and blood
shed, religious and class warfare, great measures
almost wholly failing to produce their expected
results, dsafection widening and deepening as
grievances were removed, public opinion more and
more degraded and demoralized. political life
turned more and more into trade in which the
vilest men are cxalted-these are the chief Gle
ments in the miserable story which the historian
of modern Ireland is called upon to relate 1t
is impossible to say. with just confidence whether
this train Of calamitics could have been avertcd
IL all religious disqualifca.ions had been removed
in 1893 or l705 The Protestants then undoubt-
edly desired it. Political agitation was almost
unknown. The indispensable ascendancy of prop
erty and loyalty still unbrolSen. The rela-
tons OF classes and crccGs. which were h0Jeessly
oonvulsed by the rebellion of 1893, and by the
long agitation that followed it, were not yet
essentially unsoTnd, and than a century
had passed since Ireland had witnessed the clash
oil arms. In my own judgment, little permanent
good could have been effected unless a moderate
parliamentary reform and communication of tthes
had been added to the abolition of religious dis
tnctiOns; but with these measures, Ireland would
probably have weathered the revolutionary storm
But no opportunity was to be allowed for any
further power in the operation of those manifold
agencies which were urging the country to anarchy
and rebellion. Reform of the corrupt Parliament
was peremptorily refused The voice of Grattan
in the House evolved no patriotic Response. When
at last the old statesman shook the dust of the
place from his feet. lac only recognizing
reluctantly an impotence which had long been
but too apparent to all the world Before that
time moreover, the Irish Parliament had ceased
to he serious factor in the situation. The
agitation had taken violent methods. 1t had
involved the whole people, and it was rapidly de-
generating into chronic anarchy, marked in all
its phases by fcrocity and cruelty which render
these Irish annals peculiarly horrible. Under
Camden's administration the Government had its
own way in legislation but from month TO month
it became less able to govern the country. Ono Of
the most evil aspects Of Pitts new policy was the
deliberate fermentation Of religions fanaticism.
Mr. Lecky makes il clear that the Government
did in cold blood foster and stimulate that anti
Catholic feeling which had fallen into allegiance.
The religious bigotry and intolerance of the north
ern PrOtestanfs, particularly those OF Ulster. I'M
happily needed little tanning. But the study of
the secret societies which from this time per-
vaded the land is one Of the most perpleXed.
The Defenders were chiefly Catholics and repre-
scnted-at least in the beginning-non political
grievances chiefly. The United Irshmen sought
political redress, ard were-also in the beginning
only--opposed TO violence The Oraneemen grew out
of the Ulster religious quarrel. Defenderism
seems to have been the first to commit outragcs
upon religious antagonists, and the Defenders in
several places drove out Professionals and destroyed
their property. sometimes killing or manning
them. Retaliation followed. and Orangeism was
the result. The responsibility of the real Orange
men for the Outrages subsequently committed
in their name does not Ipcar. to Mr.. Lccky, TO
be clearly determined. No doubt, he thinks, many
lawles, rufians intent upon plumber freely took
the name of any association which might shelter
them. But fanaticism ran high, and both sides
were very reckless.
Whatever the exact nature of the processes
may have been-and many contemporary observers
whose opportunities were exceptional confessed
themselves puzzled by them--it is certain that
things went steadily from bad TO worse. In
spite Of the efforts of the Government to prevent
the Indignation Of the United Irishmcn end the
Defenders, every circumstance tended to facilitate
and insure that union The hopeless state of the
peasant class due mainly to the prevailing system
of land tenure, which favored minute subdivision
and racls-rents, which built up a rapacious class
of middlemen farmers at the expense of the cotter
tenantry, which encouraged absenteeism. and thus
drained the land of it's produce. and deprived the
pcasantry of whatever benefits moral and material,
the residence Of the landlord securcs-rendered
these halfstarved people careless and desperate,
and made of them unsurpassed raw material for
conspiracy and sedition. AS lawessEcss spread
wider and became holder, the Government, which
had deliberately turned its back upon constitutional
means Of tanquillizing the country, was inevitably
driven more and more IN the direction OF armed
coercion. But even here there were some methods
more eXasperating and Objectionable than others,
and they were quite logically preferred. IL was
considered that the regular troops ought as much
as possible to be reserved for serious operations
above all, for repellng that French invasion
which was now forever threatening; 10 perform
the work of police; to suppress riots ana punish
outrages. force Of yeohanry and militia was
relied upon. Now these bodies were themselves
almost without discipline, and deeply infected
with religious fanaticsm They could not be
depended upon to act moderately, and III fact
they acted outrageously very often