The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-08-09
HANGING EASEMENT.

Lord Robert Cecil few hours be.
fore Sir Roger Easement was hanged
said that the only ground for a re-
prieve would be political expediency,
and that in land in which the law
never was strained to punish a person
it was impossible to strain it to let one
Off Law, to be the respected and con.
trolling genius Of order had to be I'M
compromising, Unconditional and never
eXpedient
We know that sentimentalism inter.
feres in American administration OF
law, and We know that the British sys-
tenn to which Lord Robert Cecil refer
red is a better protection for orderly
citizens than our system. A guilty per
son in England faces something re-
mote from human emotions and weak
nesses. 1t seeks to determine facts OF
guilt or innocence, and If guilt be
found the execution of sentence pro.
ceeds as if in the hands of autOmatons
which could not be checked or con-
trolled by human beings.
Easement was the victim of this ma
chine. Lord Robert Cecil implies that
law could not without confession of er.
ror and weakness, without injury ia
Justice, spare Easement after Pearse
and his associates had been executed
Injustice would be found in Partially
DeWet did much more than PearSe
Easement and the other IRISH leaders
attempted and his punishment was
mild. He had less excuse than the IT.
ish in one way. The union of South
Africa has the political freedom for
XVIII Tro1a111 Ctrnpo1inp
The DeWet case reveals the weak
ness of the British position with re
gard to the Irish.- The right of rebel
lion is fundamental right. Open re
bellion in arms against a government
not wanted by the people under it is
not a crime against law. It is hazard
Gus, and failure may mean the loss vi
life, but the state which has provoked
the rebellion is warranted in. consult
ing political expediency. The ground
which was mentioned rs the only one
for Easements reprieve was the only
one needed.
The use of clemency in dealing with
the leaders of revolt is not an. inter
ference with the processes of law. The
state judges in each case what will
satisfy the needs of the state. That
is the object to be served. Few cases
will be alike, and law cannot be auto
matte.
The federal government in Washing
ton did a great service to the United
States when it did not execute the
leaders of the southern rebellion. II
Robert e. Lee had been martyr in
the minds Of the south the reunion OF
the states would have been delayed
for another generation.
Great Britain had punished the lead
ers in the Irish rebellion and had pun
ished them severely Finer men than
Easement had been shot. Injury had
been done true British policy. The
trouble with England and Ireland is
that the Tory English mind controls
both the English and the Irish when
Ireland is in the question. The Tory
English mind thinks an Irish revolt is
immoral and criminal. 1t cannot
escape that way OF thinking. ..,sl
If the Poles of Posen were to revolt
against Germany, or if the people of Al
SAGE were to revolt against Germany
the English would think the rebellion
glorious The Prussianized Poles have
not written SO much tragedy in history
as the Irish, and the Alsatians have
suffered nothing if ireland be consid'
cred as having suffered at all. But
England would regard an Alsatian re-
volt as heroic, and it regards an Irish
revolt as sordid, base, ignoble. and
dastardly.
England will not admit guilt in Ire
land. England will not confess that
England has made Irish rebels. Eng.
land could have stood before supreme
Judgment bar and with truth have con.
fessed that Easement was her crea.
ton; that she had made, formed and
inspired him; that his acts were con
sequences of her acts; that the re-
sponsibility was hers. England made
him; England unmade him.
Political eXpediency would have been
a wiser guide than law. Great Britain
needs Ireland as contented part of
the British empire. lreland's best