The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-10-04
ROYAL RESIDENCE FOR IRELAND.
Plain Words on the Proposal From
 Irishmen Who Remember.

Irishmen Who Remember.
 Lord Charles Beresford, who is in many respects typical Irlshman, and has therefore many good points in his character, but who has never distin- guished himself much in politics, has written to the press a particularly fool ish letter on the old, Worn-o out subject of a royal residence for Ireland. He starts, indeed, with recital of facts which no one can dispute. It is to the effect that the queen in the course of her sixty years reign, has visited this country only three times altogether, and that her three visits have extended over only twenty eight days in all; and that as re- gards the Prince and Princess of Wales, the story Is about the same. Those facts show unquestionably that the roy al family do not care very much for Ire land or the Irish people; and if Lord Charles Beresford had stopped there and contented himself with drawing that in- ference, We should have had nothing to say of his pronouncement, except to ex- press our qualification that such man should have so spoken on such sub ject. But when he goes on to say that the infrequency of royal visits to Ire land explains, if it is not justification for, Irish disloyalty, and that the estab- lishment of a royal residence here would produce loyalty and contentment, we can only wonder than any man of intel ligence like him should harbor so gross and unfounded delusion.-
 It Is perfectly true that section of Irishmen-the small section to whom Lord Charles Beresford belongs-do de- sire the presence of royalty in Ireland, and would be gratified by the establish ment of royal residence In Ireland, where they could hobpoh with the mem- bers of the royal family and the Eng fish aristocracy; and we have no doubt that there are a good many "Castle" shopkeepers who share that desire for strict commercial reasons. But that any one in Ireland outside those two classes (who probably would be "loyaP' in any event. wants the presence of roy- atty in Ireland or an Irish residence for the queen or any member of her family, it would be absurd to pretend; and in this connection we should like very much to know etcharacter and locali- ty of the meeting which Lord Charles Beresford says that he recently ad- dressed here, and which, according to him. appIauded no part of his speech so much as that on the subject of a royal residence.
 The fact is, the average Irishman does not care row of pins where her Majes- ty lives, and would not be in the least affected in his political principles if she lived here instead of in England. To imagine otherwise is to take an utterly wrong view of Irish discomfort and of the reasons which lie at the root of it. Why Is Ireland disloyal and discontent- ed? Does any one-does even Lord Charles Beresford himelf-frra zine that it is because we do not see much of the queen and her fapily? Does not he does not every one, know that it is be- cause Ireland is not allowed to govern herself, but is forced to accept the rule of another nation?
 Is it because English sovereigns did not reside here that Swift and Molly neux stirred up the Irish people to re- volt, that the Volunteers of 17S2 planted their cannon in College Green, that the United Irishmen rose in instruction in 179S, that Robert Emmet sacrificed his young life, that O'Connell started his repeal agitation, and that Parnell strove for sixteen years? If there had been a royal residence in Ireland all through the last century and half, and if, at the same time, England had continued to act toward Ireland as she did, does Lord Charles Beresford, does any one imagine that the various political move ments to which we have referred would not have taken place all the same?
 The fact is Lord Charles Beresford and all other Irishmen who make such suggestions as he does for removing Irish discomfort must shut their eyes equally to the facts of history and to the teachings of common sense, and, let us add, they scarcely pay a compliment to their countrymen when they talk and write as if Irishmen could be such sinl- pletons as to be capable of being cheat ed out of their natural desire for their rights as nation by material bribes and by bribes too. of most paltry kind.-Irish Weekly Independent.
 'I am ruined" he cried, clutching the air My millions have melted away as breath!"
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