The Irish standard., 1919-11-15


lish Minister'S lust for ruin in Ire
land but this is apparently not the
case.
1t is one thing, however, to decree
the destruction of Nation and an
other thing to carry out the decree.
Where Cromwell and Pitt failed, the
English statesmen of today will not
succeed.
The Irish people established Dali
Eireann as the sole National authority
to speak and act In the name Of the
Irish Nation. Such authority cannot
be. destroyed by any decree of a usurp-
ing power and despite British Proc.
lamations and suppressions, British
bayonets and bombs, British tanks and
machine guns, Dali Eireann will con.
tinue as the sole National authority to
speak and act In the name of the
Irish Nation.
The Coercion Act of 1887-know in
Ireland as the Jubilee Coercion Act" +"
on account of its having been passed
into law in the year of Queen Vic
toria's Jubilee, is the Act under which
French has proclaimed the elected
representatives of Ireland's danger
GUS association"
Arthur Balfour was the author of
the Act.
Previous Coercion Acts passed
against Ireland were for specified pc
riods. This Act is perpetual one.
Previous to this Act no Irish Asso.
citation could be suppressed unless
there was a judicial decision that it
was dangerous" Under this Act
power is given to the Lord Lieutenant,
without any judicial investigation or
decision to suppress any organization
in ireland.
Gladstone bitterly opposed this Act,
which was introduced after he had
proposed and attempted to carry the
Home Rule Act of 1886.
On the morning of the Second Read.
ing of the Act, the London "Times'' by
arrangement with the English Govern
ment published facsimile letter pur
porting to be written by Parnell, ap
proving of the Phoenix Park assassi
nations. These letters were published
in order to insure the passage of the
Act. They succeeded in doing so.
They were subsequently proved in
public court to be forgeries. The forg
er, Richard Pigott confessed he had
forged them and received large sums
of money from the London "Times'
for so doing. He subsequently com
mitted suicide.
Under the Act, in addition to sup
pressing any associations whatever ir
ireland, the Law officer of Dublin Cas-
tie may direct paid magistrate Of the
English Government to hold an Gin
quiry" To this inquiry he has power
to summon any person he pleases and
put to him any questions he deems fit
II the person declines to answer he II
to be committed to jail. No other per
son but the English Government mag
istrate may question the person bro
there.
No legal assistance is permitted
him.
The interrogation is to be held IL
private.
Where case necessitating jury
arises under this Act, the Englisl
Government can order that the jur!
be a special one, I. e., jury formed
of men with large property qualifica
tion-a jury of rich men.
It also may procure the trial Of al
accused person to be held In any par
of Ireland, 1. g., man accused Of /,
crime in Kerry may be sent to b.
tried in Belfast.
BY this act Ireland has been put out
side the pale Of Constitutional Gov
ernment not for time but as far 81
an Act Of Parliament can affect II
forever.
-Archbishop Dublin.
The most unjustifable, the most In
tolerable, I will even say, the mos
wicked step ever taken in the annal
of political history.
Lord Haldane.
Continued On Pase 4