The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-21
Tho Ulster Protest Against Home Rule.

II appears to be valid.
Tho Ulster Protest Against Home Rule.
The Convention held by the Unionists Mt
| Belfast for the purpose of protesting
against tho concession of homo rule to Ire
land. was certainly impressive in respect OF
| numbers. Tho ten thousand delegates who
| are said to have been present passed reso-
lutions asserting II determination to take
no part In the election of a Dublin Parlin-
ment. and to repudiato the authority OF
such an assembly. Tho force OF such
declaration is exactly proportional to the
volume OF popular sentiment behind it.
Tho truth is that the delegates spoke not
| for Ulster. but for only fraction OF it. rs
tho following facts will show.
II the Cnionists assembled Mt Belfast
spoke. as they pretended to speak, for
Ulster, how did 1t happen that they failed
to make themselves hoard Mt the general
election in 1886? In that contest the Union
lists Of Great Britain inflicted an over
whclming defeat on the Gladstonlans. yet
the Unionists Of Ulster were only ahle to
return sixteen out of tho thrty-three men,
bcrs OF Parliament allotted to their PROV
ince. At that time the Home Rulers, hav-
ing elected n majority of tho Ulster men,
bers, could fairly claim to represent
Ulster opinion. Has there been
change since then? Tho census OF 1891
reveals no trace Of any. Tho total
population OF Ulster is now 1.Gl7s77 The
Catholics number 74i353 aud tho Profess
tants s73524. There is. therefore. in the
whole province. Il Protestant majority OF
1911. In seven out Of the nine counties.
ln,r tIa,, IL, I,t,
2O5.s34. The slight Protestant prepondcr-
ance in Ulster is derived from the two
counties Of Antrim and Down. the latter in
Guiding the city Of Belfast. These two
counties contain 1928 Catholics and 5l4.-
93s Protestants. 1t is. therefore, these two
counties only which tho Belfast Conven-
ton can 10 said to fairly represent. and
it is in their name that the Unionists pro-
test against the fullmcnt of tho wish of
vast majority of the Irish people.
But the cnse for homo rule in Ulster is
even stronger than these figures Indicate
The Protestants Of that province arc not
NIL Unionists. II they were. 1t would have
been impossible for the Homo Rulers to
elect majority Of the SO Ulster members six
years ago. A considerable minority Of the
Ulster Protestants sympathize with the
Nationalist desire to see tho local affairs of
ireland cared for by Dublin Parliament.
Between the Protestant and Catholic sec.
tons of the Ulster Home Rule party there
exists the most cordial cooperation, as has
been proved by tho readiness OF Catholic
electors to vote for Protestant candi-
dates for seats In Parliament What is
true OF Ulster as regards the absence OF
religious prejudice in the Home Rule party
is true OF Ireland in general. There Is not
the slightest reason to doubt that the M
tionallsts would now agree. rs they agreed
In 1886. that the bill comforting separate |
government on Ireland should contain n |
clause prohibiting the establishment of tho |
Catholic Church as q State Church in that |
country. With such disability embedded |
In 1rclands organic law there is absolutely
no ground for the apprehensions Of dis
elimination and persecution expressed at
the Belfast Convention.
This attempt OF two counties In Ulstor to
block the will OF the Irish people seems De-
culiarly outrageous to those who recall
tho history OF Ireland before the Act OF
Union. Only the members Of tho small
Protestant minority were eligible to seats
in the Dublin House OF Commons or to
Office under tho Irish Government, and It
was not until GRATTAN's Parliament was
on the eve Of extinction that tho idea of
permitting the Catholic majority to oven
exercise tho suffrage was entertained.
No ono now dreams Of imposing on tho
Professionals OF Down and Antrim any DO
litical disabilities on the score OF their re-
ligious belief. yet these two counties
have tho assurance to threaten q revolu-
ton sooner than allow their Catholic fellow
citizens to exert in n Dublin Legislature an
influence proportionate to their numerical
in all the rest Of Ireland It
is amazing that such prcpostorous inso-
lence can excite anything but derision in
Great Britain.
By the Gladstonians, at all events, the Bel
fast demonstration will be recognized for
what 1t really is. a sham. The talk about
passive resistance to laws nude in Dublin
means no more than the violent asseycrn-
tions uttered six years ago at the meeting
Of Orangemcn addressed by Lord RAN
DoIpH CHURCHILL. When tho Professionals
Of Down and Antrim get rid of the idea
that they form IN English garrison in a
country-and they will drop 1t
when they see Parliament in Dublin.
hey will soon discover how to mako the
pest OF the new situation. and to use the
everage which industry, Intelligence. md