San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-09-23
A CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY.


act of Balfour, in arresting Dillon anc
O'Brien on the eve of their departure
for this country, that they might lay
before their Irish American brothers
In America the needs and restitution
of their unfortunate countrymen at
home, has aroused even the conser.
vative conscience of England. Far
more groans than cheers greeted the
announcement that the arrests had
been made and that the relief ex-
pected for poor Ireland, though the
generous contributions of Irish Amer
leans, was at least for time prevent
ed. 1t must certainly be q very pecu-
liar mind that could make occasion of
so simple and natural q thing as
O'Brien's speech, for visiting its un-
reasoning anger upon a whole people.
and especially on a people destitute,
suffering, and threatened with
starvation. Year by year the tilla-
BILE acres of that country are being
turned out to grass and park by
foreign landlords, who claiming to
hold the lands at living rates for Irish
tenants, have advanced holdings as
an excuse to distrain the farmers and
drive them from the soil. These men
living at ease on the purchase money
aroused the organized forces of the
tenants league against them. Find
ing themselves unable to meet the
issue alone, they have appealed, time
after time, to the English government,
whose secretary for Ireland has ever
been ready to do the dirtiest bidding
of the taskmasters in devislng meas
ures for the subjugatIon of Ireland.
This is only one of hundred of
cases of unwarranted arrest, intimi-
dation, disregard of personal rights,
and the long catalogue of crimes
against Irish patriots. whereby it has
been attempted to sever these men
from the cause Of their oppressed
countrymen, and by destroying the
leaders make slaves and merchandise
of the people.
To tine everlasting shame of England
have been these attempts of wanton,
cold-blooded cruelty, and to the eter-
nal glory of Ireland has it been that
the stout hearts and patriotic of
her leaders have never wavered in
their unceasing warfare against the
ancient and dishonorable enemy of
their country. This last attempt also
will fail. This arrest will only neces-
state some other brave and patriotic
sons OF Ireland taking up the work
thus prevented Dillon and O'Brien's
doing, leaving these patriots to wage
the war against Balfour and the
brutishness of the English landlords
on home ground. 1t does seem in
credible that this arrest should have
been made on no other ground save
that the arrested men counseled the
farmers to make provisions for their
family food during winter of ap-
preaching famine, before paying the
rents claimed for their holdings.
There are indications that Balfour
has gone one step too far in
this thing, and that there Is
even in government circles and
among government supporters
strong feeling of indignation. If this
reactionary wave would only rise
high enough to sweep the author of
this infamous outrage from office 1t
might be that Dillon and O'Brien
have not been imprisoned in vain. 1t
is almost as unfortunate for England
as for Ireland that this thing has
happened. 1t will be made the occa-
sion for numberless interrogatories of
government, of endless questions and
motions of inquiry, that cannot but
delay the passage of very much
needed measures OF legislation for
England, and under which delay the
British people will grow restless.
Salisbury's government is by no
means any too secure in its hold upon
the public confidence, and certain it
is this outrage on personal liberty
will not strengthen 1t in the affections
OF the people. The Irish leaders with