New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-11-09

Humbcrt himsclf never had any hope, for he saw
at once that the people had no heart in the bust
ness. They were willing enough to accept guns
and uniforms from him. but they hid or sold both,
and then absented themselves.
The time for successful intervention had been
allowed TO pass, and nothing remained Tor the
French general but honorable surrender. after be-
ing surrounded by an overwhelming force rs
for the poor peasants who had followed h'm' no
mercy was shown to them They were hunted,
cut down on the field, or, ii taken, given
short shrift When the rebellion and this. Its
aftermath, were over, 1t was SAID. ana not WIN
out some appearance Of plauabhity. tnaS fitt
had automatically .refrained from dispatchins
troops to ireland because he wanted to give the
rebellion every opportunity Of spreading. 10 the
end that its fnsl suppression misht ne 'he mo'o
terrible and crushing Mr.. Lecky, however, does
not hold with this view He points out tne un-
reasonableness Of supposing that Pitt would have
soucbt N aoorovate the situation in Ireland at q
time when England had Continental war upon
her hands and above all when she herself was
In constant fear of French invasion. The most
rroha HE examination Of the Governments dila-
torpess seems to be that they really had no
iust idea of what was going on in Ireland; that
fbev treated Camden's warnings as the effects CT
manic. and that they were merely justifying the
coutemporaneous saying that English statesmen
were more ignorant Of Ireland than Of any other
quarter Of the globe. At the same time, II Is
obvious that appearances were against fltt III
the case and when. shortly afterward, it was as
serted that the rebellion had been fomented III
cold blood with the express purpose OF clearing
the way for the Union, there were so many cir
cumstances which seemed - warrant ana even
confirm this sinister hypothesis, that It's Adoption
by partisan historians Of the period cannot surprise
us.
Mr. Lecky says that 1t Is Impossible 10 sPeaN
with any certainty of the loss of life during the
Rebellion The estimates on the subJect aie
widely different and almost wholly conlecturai'
Madden. the most learned of the apologists OF the
United Irishmen pretends that not less than TO-
600 persons must have pcrished in Ireland during
the two months struggle; but Newman, VINO
was q contemporary writer, singularly free from
marty passion and prejudice, and much accustomed
70 careful statistical investigations, formed lar
mere moderate estimate He calculated that the
direct loss during the Rebellion was about lo,ooo.
| About 500, he says, Of the Kings troops, ana
about 900 of the rebels fell in the Held. Aoout
Aoo loval persons were massacred and assassinated
| and 2. 1000 rebels were exiled or hanged Inc
| mos horrible feature was the great NUMBER OF
| helpless, unarmcd men who were either oeiip-
| erately murdered by the rebels or shot down oS
| the troops For several months, writes Mary
| INadbeater there was sale for bacon curea IN
| Ireland from the wel-founded dread OF the hogs
| having fed upon the flesh OF men, Such ae
tail conveys an appalling impression OF the s'a'e
| Of the oantry At the time. OF the loss OF prop
erty. we are told it is equally difficult to speak
with accuracy The claims sent in by the suffer
ing loyalists amounted to Gs23,5l7; but who
| IN
ages of the croppies, whose houses were burned
md effects plaged and destroyed, and who, barred
| from compensation, sent in no estimate TO The
| commissioners And, in addition to this, we
must remember the enormously increased military
| expenditure which was imposed upon the coun-
| try and the terrible shock that was given both
to industry and to credit" Yet the property
losses were soon repaired THE moral scars LETT
| by the Rebellion were deep and ndelible, and 1t
changed the whole character of Irish life but the
material devastation rapidly disappeared"
| Mr. Lecky devotes two long and important
chapters to the question of the Union, and his
survey constitutes probably the cearest and most
dispassionate presentation Of the case eXtant
To attempt even the baldest synopsis OF the dis
cussion. which includes full sketches OF all the
arguments for and against the measures which
were advanced at the time both in and out of the
and not improbably try the patience of the reader
| uniustifably. The most vital consideration seems
| to be the manner in which the Union was con-
summatcd and on this point Mr.. Lecky enables
his readers to form an Independent Judgment.
II is of less consequence TO summarize the argu-
| meuts on either side, because nearly all OF those
| considerations have been curiOusly and signally
falsifed by the event. The dangers apprehended
did not prove the dangers which arose. Inc
benefits predicted did not prove the benefits which
| accrued. In almost every particular the conse-
ouences of the Union were other than had been
Anticipated and perhaps the most useful lesson
conveyed by this part of the history is the oihd-
ness and fatuity of political forecasts in exceptional
circumstances. AS regards the manner In which
the Union was procured, the first point 10 I've
noted Is that it was urged by Pitt against the
Judgment, not only of CORVALLIS, but of almost
every good Judge of the state Of feeling in Ireland
The view held by its opponents was that it
was impossible to choose less opportune moment
for the broaching of such proposition. There
were abundant evidences in support of this belief
The Protestants saw in Union the subversion oil
their domination: and the Protestant spirit had
been peculiarly excited and exalted by the rebellion
and it's sequel The Catholics, it was belleVed
20 hated the English connection that they woulo
rise again rather than submit to have IL maot
closer. The people of Dublin foresaw the down
fall of their prosperity and prestige III the re
moval of the Irish Parliament. The Irish gentry
who were not abscntees had more to lose than u
!, gain by the change.
In 1899, Notwithstanding remonstrance and pro
test, Pitt opened the campaign, but only 10 ex
Z perience severe defeat. The Union proposiuoi
was thrown out Of the Irish House oil Common
: ut the opening of the session, and this result
LoI> in CONS
popular representatives. but appointees OF clos
boroughs and placement. BODIED i'll for the fortune
, Of the measure Pitt. however did not fine
from the encounter He merely changed hi
methods and had recourse to systematic corrup
ton The recess between the sessions of 100 AM
500 was devoted to the prosecution of the mos
calculated, deliberate and shameless scheme o