New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-28
d 1rlNGx 1NU WORSE.

The alleged plot for the ASSASSINATION of Mr..
Gladstone will probably resolve l'Self INTO the
yagaries of disordered mind incapable OF car
r,;,, il into execution Even if it can be
shown that the man now under arrest has been
docoipo the Prime Minister'S steps in st.
Jomes's par, or haunting the entrance to the
cffiri,l r. sidcnce in Downing Street there is APP
rarently no proof Of a deliberate attempt on his
rait to Use the revolver when ne carried about
with him. The entries in the notebook found
IN his possession disclose. however, the effects
of political excitement upon IN Unbalanced
mind. This poor creature had been reading
some of the partisan speeches made in Parlm-
mcnt against Home Rule, and in consequence
IF the yiolonce of the defamation had been
moycd 70 record his opinion that the murder
Of Mr.. Gladstone would be ju>tiable act.
We have no desire to eXaggcrate the impor-
tance of an incident which will probably be eX-
planned away very largely by police inveStiga-
tions. Ind ed. the rawlings OF the vagrant Toun-
send seem trivial in comparison with the
deliberate attempts of Unionist leaders to in
stgatc civil war by encouraging Ulstermcn to
resist Home Rule by arms il II ever be enacted
as law. When Lord Salisbury dissolved the
last Parliament he emphasized the historical
fcud between Protestant and Catholic Ireland
rs a menace Of the outbreak of hOStili.icS under
Home Rule. The constituencies, undsmaycd by
that meth d of intmdating them. voted for
Mr.. GadstoneS Irish policy. Then the Union
>ts promptly had recourse to the same expedi-
en- for frightening Parliament and defeating
the Home Rule bill. Ulster has been for nine
months the burden Of the argument against
carving into execution the direct mandate OF
the electorate of the United Kingdom Mr..
Balfour has been in Belfast to lend his author
ity as leader of the Opposition TO the fanafcal
hostility of the Protestant half of Ireland 10
fogi>aion dcclc-d by the people and destined
in all human probability TO become Crown law.
It would be unfair 70 allegc that either Mr..
Balfour or hi, Inion>t associates have directly
.-,i:nScllcd armed rebellion again,t Home Rule.
They have come dangerously rear to it, but
they have had >uilicicn; Scf-rcstrant to hal.
on the border lire OF conspiracy against the
law. But what they have been doing for many
months is 10 excite race hatred and religious
ianatciSm for political purposes. They have
desired To keep mp an effective fire upon Home
Rule until the end and tn in>tgatlon of acita-
ton i'm lister seemed the best method of doing
il. Probably they have considered ii a juSiiii-
abb. form Of political par'iSan>hip. Perhaps
they have described it with cynical leyi'y as
p.a't.ca' politics.
II is altogether probable that the encourage
mcut given 10 organized rcvo, against Home
Rule will have more serious results than the
inspiration of rawlings in the not book OF
Lalf-uittod creature like Townsend. If Home
Rule be d fcatcd through the ln.oni>t machna-
lions in Ulster there will inevitably be a Ic-
viva! of religious feudS and race hatrcd> in the
Island. II Mr.. Glad>tonc> bill be enacted next
wear. or ut any time during tho decade. it may
bccomc necessary to crush an armed revolt
Against Crown law.