The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-30

our author directs attention to some Of the
-bAtises" in what passes for history in Ire
land. For instance, ~Strongbow's Inva-
SION Ia depicted as an English conquest OF
Ireland, while as a matter OF fact the raiders
were soldiers OF a French King Of England,
who by the suppression Of the power Of the
barons had Just completed the conquest OF
the English, which his ancestor, william OF
Normandy, had begun. The main English
element in the business was contributed by
the fact that Pope Adrian ". who issued
the bull directing and blessing the invasion,
was an Engishman. Next In historic order
the cruelties OF Cromwell's reconquest OF
Ireland and the penal law Of the Protes-
tant Parliament OF william III. figure most
oonspicuously in the stock in trade OF
the Nationalist agitatons. The latter ignore
the fact that Cromwel's mission was to
punish a rebellion marked by atrocities
and horrors, OF which the Indian Mutiny
affords the only parallel in Engiand's ma
tional story. Sir Robert Anderson quotes
from Hume's history the following account
Of the massacre OF Irish Professionals in
1881: Death was the lightest punishment
inflicted by the rebels. All the tortures
which ~anton cruelty could devise, all the
uDk5 INK pdAL8 I" UOuys bbC nh8uD VI
mind, the agonies Of despair, could not
satiate revenge excited without injury
and cruelty derived from no cause. To
enter into particulars would shock the least
delicate humanity As for the penal laws
OF William III. we are reminded that they
too were the sequel and consequence Of plots
TO give up the Protestants Of Ireland again
to destruction. 1t is also pointed out tina
when their original purpose had been
achieved the penal laws were administered
in uch an easygoing fashion hat their
severity was largely mitigated. A charac-
teristic example Of such mitigation used to
be related, we are told, by r. J. Mahony Of
Dromore Castle. 1t is well known tha
under the penal statutes to which we have
referred any Protestant near relative
was. however. always preferred-oould rob
q Roman Catholic Of his landed property
by fling a Bill Of Discovery against him.
Mr.. Mahony's Roman Catholic ancestor
fled such a bill Of discovery against him.
self, and the Dromore estate was by law
transferred from d. Mahony, a Papist, to
D. Mahony; a Protestant. He then fled
bills OF discovery against his friends
throughout the county. o'Donoghue. OCon-
nell, &c, and held their properties for them
till the penal avs were repealed.
Coming down to later times, Sir Robert
recalls the fact hat a vast majority of
the British electors who vote for Home
Rule candidates for Parliament believe
that when Ireland actually possessed
home rule the country was peaceful and
and happy. This does not
happen to ave been the truth. 1t seems
that during the eighteen years OF "Grattan's
Parliament no fewer than ftty-four Co
ercion acts" we're placed upon the College
Green statute book. In the Rmmer OF
1875 q rebellion Al terrible as that Of IeAl
appeared to be imminent. Half a million
members were believed to nave been en-
rolled in the secret societies, and an out
break on August 20 was averted only by
treason in the rebel camp. The insurreo-
ton was prevented, but a reign of terror
prevailed throughout the succeeding winter.
Thus il happened that the nrst duty of the
Irish Parliament when il met in the session
OF 1895 was 10 pass an instruction act.
Sir Robert cites some Of its provisions.
Administering unlawful oaths was made a
capital offence! Strangers in any district
might be arrested. examined on oath and
committed to Jail in default OF finding
sureties. In districts proclaimed by the
Lord Lieutenant under the act any per-
son out OF doors between an hour after
sunset and sunrise was liable TO be arrested
and sent to serve in The navy. Justices
had power TO enter any house to ASCERTAIN
whether the inhabitants were absent.
Moreover, my one proved 10 be without
employment or means Of subsistence and
any one obatrActing the execution of the
act might DO dealt with IA a disorderlv
person and sent to the navy" By a later
act such persons might be transferred 10
the army or navy Of any friendly European
Power. This drastic measure did not suf1on
TO prevent the outbreak OF 1Tps, which
called for c~oercive Legislation still more
stringent. The writ Of habeas CORPUS vas
then suspended and the rebellion act
1879" practically gave power to the exec,,-
tive TO put the country under martial Law
In addition TO this the white boy act
which till then had been a temporary meas
ure, was made perpetual. 'Suoh.- con-
oludes Sir Robert Anderson, was the code
OF coercion laws which the Irish Parliament
bequeathed TO- Westminster. II the auooo.u
or failure OF government Ia 10 be iudRed bv
tho necessity for such legislation the i'm
periai Parliament need not shrink from IN.
test o. comparison He blames tn Ir,.h
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