The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-12-23

meetings when the people gathered not
to discuss the overthrow OF the govern
ment, but to consider measures to free
themselves from the tyranny and greed
OF landlords, and by fair purchase seek
to own an humble home on the soil on
which they were born and which once
belonged to their fathers. 1t is strange
that the English people who think that
free speech is so excellent thing for
themselves do not rise up in protest
against its suppression in another part
OF the kingdom. But it has always been
SO, and then the English wonder that
the Irish are discontcnted and disloyal.
The Castle is proving its folly in other
respects Its authorities appear to be
losing their heads over the news from
South Africa and they want to take ven
geance out OF Irish sympathizcrs with
the Beers. Not long ago the London
Times directed the Irish lord chancellor
to remove from the bench any magis-
trate who "traitorously" condemned
the war into which the empire had been
led by Chamberlain and millionaire
miners. Lord Ashbourne is not natu-
rally vicious man, but being an Eng
lish Unionist and a cabinet minister he
will do many things in ireland that he
would not dare attempt to do in Eng
land. So i'll obedience to jingo spite
and influenced by the war fever, Ash
bourne has begun the removal OF judi
cial officers who do not agree with the
policy OF the government OF which he
is part One OF the latest OF his vic
tins is Kendall O'Bricn, who has been
served will, writ Of supcrscssion,"
removing him from the office OF justice
OF the peace for the County OF Tippc-
rary, position conferred upon him by
statute and by the choice of the electors
as chairman OF the district council.
Mr.. O'Brien is man Of high char
acter, upright and honorable i'll every
respect, and an ardent Nationalist. His
crime, and the only reason as
signed for the lord chancelor's
higl-handed action, is that he
presided, as it was his official duty
to do, at meeting OF the district coun-
Gil at which a resolution OF sympathy
with the Bocrs was expressed. Scores
OF leading Englishmcn have condemned
tl,o 4.
i'll language as strong as could be cx-
pressed. but what seems to be proper
in them is treason in an Irishman. The
most outrageous feature OF the lord
clancellor's action is that it dcprivcs an
elected official of {; position to which
he is entitled under the local govern
mcnt act, an act which now appears, as
MIR. O'Bricn says, "in one particular at
least a sham and fraud and can be
turned into an engine Of political ven
geance and intolerance" One thing on
this side OF the water is certain, and
that is that free speech is not popular
in government circles. If Lord Chat
ham were alive to-day as all Irish Off
cial he would promptly be behcadcd po-
litically did he dare use such language
about the present war as lie did in ref
crcnce to the war which England wagcd
against the American colonies. And
who can say that the war against the
Bocrs is less iniquitous than that against
America?
Another very prominent man who has
been deprived OF his judicial toga is
Lord Emily, OF County Limerick, who
OF late has become very radical and
Nationalist in his opinions. The i'm
mediate cause OF his dismissal, however,
is not for expression OF pro-Bocr senti-
mcnts, but for little speech which did
not meet public approval. In address,
ing large body OF laborcrs at Kilmal-
lock when the road commissioners had
been in session he told them that if
they had not come with blackthorns
they would not have succeeded. He
also made some reference to the gov
crnment encountering another Lady
smith. Lord Chancellor Ashbournc
asked Lord Emily to deny, qualify or
explain his language, and the latter
having refused to either explain or re-
tract he was promptly removed from
the commission. While Lord Emly's
allusion to "blackthorns" might be in
tcrpretcd as indicative of desire to
appeal to physical force, he himself said
later in an interview that it was merely
a rhetorical flourish. But in whatever
light it may be regarded the action OF
the lord chancellor recalls fact that
reflects on his consistency. He is re-
minded that he restored to magistcrial
honors Lord Rossmorc, who had been
removed by the radical administration
for leading a party OF Orangemcn to
break up a Nationalist meeting in
County Monaghan and for a riotous
rush through the ranks of "the soldiers
OF the Queen" while he shouted that
his men would cut up the troops. The
one lord committed actual violence and
was restored to the magistracy; the
other INDUCED in a rhetorical flourish
that might be construed as an approval
of the use OF "blackthorn" and was
dismissed from office. Such features OF