Washington sentinel., 1901-01-26
Morning LSaasy, London, Jan. 7.

Morning L<Gasy, London, Jan. 7.
1t Il rather an interesting fact that no
one p. opposes to celebrate the centenary
OF the Act OF Union between Great
Britain and Ireland, which came into
force one hundred years ago today.
Even those of our countrymen who
profess to regard the union as blessing
seem curiously undemonstrative in their
loyalty TO things as they are. The fact is
too patent that a century OF agitation
and discomfort has done nothing te
justify the act with which we opened it
IA Dublin, We have uied to govern
Ireland against the will of the Irish, ard
we must candidly confess today that we
have made no approach wbateVer
towards winning their consent. We
began on too narrow q basis, and a
hundred years have only made painfully
obvious what little sympathy might
have foreseen. This Act ofUnlon was
a contract between England and the
English garrison in Ireland. Itreceived
the apprOva Of a minority, and went not
without a vast deal of bribery and
backstairs intrigue. The Irish people,
the Celtic, Catholic majority, were not
consulted in 1900. We have been forced
since then to put political power in their
hands, but they have never forgiven us
the extinction of their nationality
carried out in the days when we regarded
them as serfs or outlaws whom we
condescended to govern in our own
interests.
FrssmaH's Journal (DH6HHj, Ian I.
The Act OF Union which King George
III , the insane English monarch, whose
conduct drove the Americans into the
successful War OF Independence, pro.
nounced 10 be the happiest event Of his
reIgn, came into operation this day one
hundred years ago, Some foTmalities
connected with this transaction, whose
provisions of force and fraud are burnt
into the hearts OF the Irish race, are
scarcely now recollected. The Great
Seal Of Britain was delivered up and
deisced, and a new Seal OF Empire was
given to the English Chancellor. A
change was introduced into the Royal
titles, and the Royal arms, and The idle
and offensive title of the King OF France,
which the English Sovereigus had
hitherto maintained, was dropped, while
a new standard containing the three
orders OF St. George. St. Andrew, and
St. Patrick, was hoisted in London,
Edinburgh, and Dublin. The absolute
extinction OF Irelano's legislative inde.
Pendence by the Act Of Union and her
utter impoteucy in legislation for herself
thus effected may perhaps be more
yividly realized If we bear in mind the
following circumstances. TheunIou did
not produce fusion OF the English and
the Irish Parliaments, or anything like
It. The Irish Parliament was destroyed
The English Parliament which met on
February S. 1901, remained unGisturbed.
Not a particle OF change was made in the
English constituencies. Out OF the 900
Irish members 100 took their seats in
the British Parliament. That was all.
AustTalIa's MOngOlIan Problem.
When Mr., Chamberlain, many years
ago. alluded to Australia as the land
"where freedom loves to dwell" ," he did
not anticipate, In that continent any
more perhaps than in himself, radical
charges that are not all tor the better.
Once, il NAV be, Australia was open to
all comers, but those who imagine that
such is still the case are wide, very wide
OF the truth. The "free labor" problem