The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-06-11
OF NO BENEFIT TO IRELAND.

1t is not difficult to conceive that clos
er relations between England and Amer
lea might result, directly or indirectly,
in improving the conditions in Ireland.
Minneapolis Journal.
On the contrary, it is easy to conceive
that closer relations between them
would result injuriously to Ireland. 1t
is when England was in difficulty that
Ireland ever received any concessions or
mitigation of it's wrongs. It was so in
the days of Grattan when England was
engaged in war with her American
colonies. The British troops were with
drawn from Ireland to fight the Amer
| leans, and when the Irish volunteers
were raised to protect Ireland from
foreign invasion Grattan demanded par
liamentary independence and got it.
Remember STILL through good and iii,
How vain were prayers and tears,
How vain were words till flashed the
swords
OF the Irish Volunteers.
England has never granted the ap-
peals Of Ireland for justice except
through fear or intimidation. The
Duke of Wellington, when prime minis
ter of England, passed the Catholic
Emancipation act for which O'Connell
had labored for years, not from a
, sense Of justice, but to AYERS civil
war. Ireland then was stronger arr
more united than it is today, and King
George shed tears when attaching his
royal signature to the bill.
Ireland had long suffered from tho
enormous burden of supporting the
alien church establishment until Glad
stone abolished it, and he frankly
acknowledged that he disendowed the
! monstrous institution from fear in
spired by the Fenian organization of 80
years ago.
England's difficulty is Irelands on
portunity." When England is embroled
i'll war with European notions and
stands without an ally, as she does at
present, then comes Ireland's chance for
casting off the calling yoke of centuries
"hen hard pressed by her adversaries
England cannot leave a standing army
OF $4,000 soldiers ard $4,000 constabularv
in Ireland. and when that force is re.
moved, as in revolutionary DAYS. tbc
british lords may become convinced that
Giadstones home rule bill is preferable
to the destruction of the empire. Let
the United States enter into an alliance
with England, and the result to Ireland
would be disastrous. The British army
would be kept in the island to cut down
the Irish if they attempted revolution.
Tho editor Of the Journal may be
aware Of the historical fact that in the
days of Bruce the Scotch and Irish
fought together against the Norman in
vaders in Ireland and very nearly sue
ceeded in driving them from it's emerald
shores. When the war ended one of
the first things done by England was to
form an alliance with Scotland, by the
terms of which the latter nation solemn
~ pledged itself to give no future aid to
Ireland. And Scotland has kent the
promise from that time to this, and it's
inhabitants today are more British
than the English themselves 1t is easy
enough for the Journal to philosophize
about the moral effect to Ireland result
ing from an Anglo American alliance,
but if this republic ever entangles itself
by an alliance with the British mon
archy and becomes partner with it in
it's piratcal spoliations of weaker ma
tions, good bye to the liberty enjoyed
under the republican institutions of the
United States. Be the consequences to
ireland what they may, patriotic Irish
Americans. whether native or adopted
citizens. will oppose ANY and all entans-
ling alliances with England or other
European nations. There is no necessity
for an alliance. as this country can take
care OF itself in opposition to all Europe
combined. ~
~,