The Irish standard., 1902-05-31
LOYALTY TO THE ENGLISH KING.

Irish Nationalist are being pestcred
by all kinds Of persuasions to take
part in the coronation rejoicings to
show their loyalty to his Most Gracious
Majesty the King, says the Dublin
Freeman. Loyalty is above politics,
they are assured. You Home Rulers
desire to retain the golden link of the
crown between the two countries. You
can make enthusiastic demonstration
of your loyalty without any sacrifice
of your political convictions. Can
they? That is the question that has
got to be answered. Can an Irish Ma
tionalist without sacrifice of self
respect go about clamoring God Save
the King" while the constitution is be-
ing suspended in Ireland, while his
country, under the authority of that
king, is oppressed and plundered, and
his fellow-Nationalists are being hus-
tied into prison by coercion tribunals?
They have a woful misconception of
the very meaning of loyalty who be-
licve or pretend to believe such an alb
Surtlity. 1t is not for the man, but for
the king. as head of the constitution,
as symbol of the government. that Irish
loyalty is claimed. The king person.
ally is not by any means unpopular in
Ireland. There is a widespread belief
that he is personally in favor of home
rule. He is shrewd enough to per-
ceivc and to regret that Ireland is the
only spot within the limits Of the Brit
iSl empire where there is no loyalty
10 the British sovereign. He is not lie
ceived by the cutlery of the self-seeking
"loyal minority" whose exuberant 10y
atty is mere matter of place or title.
The king is generally credited with Il
personal concurrence with the wise
and statesmanlike conciliatory policy
of Mr.. Gladstone. That rrlmor is GER
tainly confirmed by the am st affec-
Tomato Difference with which he in
variably treated the great statesman
in contrast with the treatment by his
mother. the deceased queen. The king
has not personally earned the resent
ment of Ireland. as his mother did, by
lang years of ostentatious and con-
temptuous neglect. In the announce
mcnt that his pr mis- Il visit to Ireland
had been abandoned lie insisted that
the explanation should he publicly
made that the Abandonment was not OF
his own motions hut by the advice of
his ministers"
No personal dislike TO the king In
spires the disloyalty of Ireland. Why,
then. are the Irish disloyal to the mon
arch? The question may be answered
by asking another. Why are the Eng
fish loyal? The answer t, both ques-
tions is practically the same. The
English are loyal because the mon
archy typites fer them the government
under which they live. free constitu-
ton. prosperity and progress for the
people. The Irish are dsloyal because
the monarchy typities for them the
government under which they live, the
suspension of the constitution, Oppres-
sim and misery for the people. 1t is
thus that loyal demonstrations are in
terprctod.
With government officials, from the
police sergeant to the solicitor general,
loyalty is natural and to be expected.
But it is an insult to Irish Nationalists
to expect that they should bow to the
symbol of the government that impov-
crisl,cs and Expresses the people. True
loyalty cannot he divorced from liberty
and Justice. To such system of gov
ernment as Ireland is cursed with only
the corrupt officials or mean-spirited
serfs are loyal The loyalty which is
inspired by the hope Of a bride or a
title is little honor to the sovereign on
whom it is expended.