Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1903-01-17 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

PHCENDE PARK TRAGEDY.  The most startling, and in some as pects the most distressing, of the untoward developments was the terrible crime which came to be known as the Phomix Park Tragedy. After a somewhat serious internal struggle, in which Mr Chamberlain was the most officious, if not the most influential, advocate of a revival of a conciliatory Irish policy unqualified by coorsion, the Oabinet determined to open the prison doors of Eilmainham and set, free the Irish political prisoners. Mr Forster, although a tried friend of the healing policy of conciliation resented this interference with his plans, for which he chiefly blamed the then junior member for Birmingham, whom he charged with having made a compact with an agent of the Irish leaders, pletiOng them to use their influence for the repression of outrages if Mr Parnell and his colleagues were set free. Mr Forster resigned the Chief-Secretaryship, and Lord Cowper withdrew at the same time from the Lord - Lieutenancy. Lord Spencer accepted the Viceroyalty, and Lord Frederick Cavendish the Secretaryship, with a full and honest purpose of doing their utmost to win Irish confidence and loyalty. Unfortunately, the benevolent scheme sadly miscarried. On the evening of the beautiful Saturday in May on which the new Ministers made their official entrance into Dublin, Lord Frederick Caleifidish, and Mr Burke, the permanent Under-Secretary, were attacked by a band of assassins in Phoenix Park, and slain almost within sight of the official residence. • The effect on public opinion) throughout the United Kingdom was most disquieting. The most generous friends of Ireland , realised keenly that the conciliatorye proposals of the Government had been rejected with a rudeness and violence that made further prosecution impassible. Mr Pannell and the Irish members likewise felt that their cause had been seriously, not to say fatally, discredited, and under the first sense of humiliation and mortification Mr Parnell himself gave to Mr Gladstone the opportunity of deciding whether he should retire from public life. Meanwhile Lord Spencer and Mr (afterwards Sir George) Trevelyan went resolutely to the work of tracking the assassins and of repressing the murderous conspiracies which had been hatched. The Government promptly sustained them in their task, and strengthened their hands .by framing a stern Crimes' Bill, under which trial by jury was suspended in certain eases, and the powers of the police were increased. This change of legislative action was stubbornly opposed by the Irish members, and after a struggle prolonged over 23 days, including an all-day and all-night sitting, it was found that only half of the clauses had been passed. Then the Chairman of Committees charged the opponents of the Bill with systematic obstruction, and on his call lifr Parnell and 24 other members were temporarily suspended from the service of the House. The Bill then quickly became law, and the Government, having strengthened the cause of order and authority to meet the .state of anurc,hy revealed by the Phoenix Park  tragedy resumed their healing legislation with characteristic vigour. They promoted the Arrears (Rents) Bill for the purpose of giving the Irish tenantry relief out of the Irish Chunk Funds for arrears of rent they found themselves unable to pay. In the Upper House the Marquis of Salisbury modified the measure to the extent of depriving the tenant of the right of applying to the court without the consent of the landlord. Mr Gladstone, however, refused to give way, and as the House of COlll- rejected this amendment by 293 votes against 157, the Tory loader in the Lords bent to the will of the "overwhelming majority."