The Irish standard., 1904-05-14

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question. In order to do so he must
remove the causes of that enmity. 1t
cannot be done by futile attempt to
make Ireland English. That has been
tried for centuries and has been the
most miserable exhibition of lack of
craftsmanship in history. To solve the
Irish question England must recognize
the Irish people as distinct national
ity, it must recognize the fact that Ire
land is satisfied with her own religion
and will not accept the doctrines
which England so readily and COM
pletely accepted at the time of the
Reformation, it must restore the land
titles to the Irish people, and it must
recognize the right and the ability of
the Irish people to make laws for
themselves. 1t is possible for ireland
to be friendly to England, but that re-
suit will never be achieved by systems
of coercion. The last number of
Harper's Weekly has an article in
which some of the differences between
the two countries are alluded to. 1t
says that the trouble between the two
countries is not due to radical hos
tility or difference between the Celt
and the Saxon, for in reality Celtic
Ireland was on the best of terms with
Saxon England before the battle of
Hastings, and the political and legal
systems of the two lands were identi-
cal. In those days Ireland was Eng
lands superior in culture, to a very
marked degree, so that in the vener-
able Bede's time it was the custom
well-born Englishmen to go to ireland
for their education, and to learn Irish
Gaelic, in order that through that
tongue they might study Latin and
Greek. TIE beginnings of classical
learning at Oxford We're laid by a
famous Irishman, Johannes Scotus
Erigena, who was, in philosophy, the
predecessor of another famous Hibernian,
Bishop Berkeley.
'The Saxons and Angles were on ex-
cellent terms with Ireland, whence
they had learned the arts of writing,
illumination, and music; for the harp,
which is the national symbol of Ire
land, is really the record of centuries
of musical culture. 1t was with the
coming of the Normans that the real
schism between the two countries be-
gan. England was invaded, summarily
conquered by the Normans, and stud
ded with strong castles, Of which the
Tower of London is the type and first
example. All the land of England
passed into Norman hands, and the
landholders of England, to large de-
gree, maintain the tradition of Norman
blood unto this day.
| 'The Norman system completely
dominated England, and dominates it
to this day. England is an oligarchy,
ruled by the great Norman families,
under the forms of democracy. The
descending pyramid of kings, lords and
commons is the Normal feudal system,
and now that England has a king who
rules as well as reigns, the likeness is
complete.'
1t is pointed out that the Normans
never conquered Ireland. "The con-
quest of Ireland was only partial, so
late as 1908, when the last of the Tudor
monarchs gave place to the Stuarts.
During the five centuries between,
Irish princes ruled in many parts of
Ireland, under Irish law, and in ter
ritOries permeated by the Irish spirit
and using the Irish tongue. Ireland
was thus divided against itself, and
felt the weakness that comes of divi-
sion. Then followed the great relig-
ious feud of the Reformation. Eng
land accepted wholly the new order.
Ireland remained in great part loyal
to the old. Here was another element
less misery in it's train. Then came
the struggle between Irish and Eng
lish law, which added the third prin-
ciple of strife. Ireland's law was
based on the modern elective system,
ON the choice of the fittest as heir,
rather than the eldest. We all remem-
ber Darwin's famous attack on Eng
lish primogeniture, as the system best
fitted to neutralize natural selection
and secure the supremacy of block
heads. The Irish brehons anticipated
Darwins idea and its application.
Again, Irish law substituted fines for
capital punishment, which was a ter
rible stumbling block to English legis-
lators.''
These are the bottom causes of
Irish hostility. OF course, on top of them
comes the memory and resentment OF
long centuries Of religious and political
persecution. The English king or min.
lister who will first recognize the diff.
ferences and apply the remedies will
do more for his country than England's
army and navy have done for genera
tons. We hope that King Edward
may be the man to earn this glory. II
he does he will be remembered as Eng
lands greatest king. 1t is almost toe
much to hope that he will be equal tc
the occasion, yet the opportunity and