The Irish standard., 1900-03-17
A ROYAL VISIT TO IRELAND.

Hitei dl absence OF tnlrty-nine years,
Victoria "by the grace OF Cod has
announced her intention of going to
Ireland. During the sixty-three years
OF her reign she has made but two Wis
its to the Emerald Isle, which lasted
only twelve days, and now she is going
for the third and last time to see her
beloved subjects across the channel. The
fact that her son, the Duke OF Con-
naught, is. commander of the British
forces i'll. Ireland, may have something
to do with her visit at this time. Vic
toria is sensible enough to know that
the overwhelming majority OF the Irish
people do not care the snap of their
fingers for her, and that they have no
tender regard for her either as a queen
or as woman. That fact was made
quite manifest during her recent jubilee
by the Irish people and their parliament
tary representatives who positively de-
clined to participate in the celebration.
The CHASTITY record OF her sixty-three
years rule in ireland has made her
odlous to the unfortunate people of that
country. During her reign the island
has lost half its Notwithstanding
unprecedented in the history of civilized
nations. She has never exhibited any
sympathy with her Irish subjects in
their sufferings from famines, ruthless
evictions, miseries, coercions, depopu-
lation and misgoYernment: and she was
largely instrumental In killing Glad
stones Home Rule Bill in the upper
house OF parliament.
Being an old woman on the verge Of
the grave (she is now eighty-one years
old) the Irish people OF all classes will
receive her with civility, but there is no
reason why any OF them but the funk
les should be enthusiastic over such a
remnant OF humanity because she con-
descends to visit Ireland after the
lapse of thirty-nine years. AS she is a
female the Irish Standard will refer to
her in deferential tone, but were she
king instead of queen we could not
find words in our vocabulary sufficient
ly strong to condemn her treatment of
the Irish nation during her long reign.
We prefer to let the Chicago Chronicle
speak OF her in her relations to Ireland
as follows: "
In 1S45 there was gossip OF pro-
posed visit to Ireland by her majesty.
AS soon as she learned that famine was
impending she turned her back and
again went on pleasure trips to more
cheerful parts. The following year the
famine became a horrible phenomenon.
Three hundred thousand died of hunger
and OF fever caused by hunger. The
whole world was appalled,. Still the
queen absented herself from that por-
ton OF her kingdom. The famine con-
tinued. Relief funds were started
wherever its magnitude was understood.
The government OF the United States
permitted the use of two war vessels to
carry to the afflicted country food vol
UNFAIRLY proffered by the American peo-
pie. The queens government refused
like use OF one British war vessel, al
though the common people of England,
pitiiul and ashamed, offered to load it
with food for their starving fellowship
jects in Ireland. Five hundred thou
sand OF the Irish people died of hunger
and pestience in 1847 and 100000 emf
grated to escape death. Still the queen
paid no visit to Ireland. She was per
suadcd to give paltry subscription tc
the relief fund. Her contribution was
less than that sent by the sultan o.
Turkey.
In 1S4S, when the famine subsidized, in.