Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1887-10-01 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

IREL&ND.  Mr. Chamberlain presided at a meeting of the eaeoutive of the National Radical Union of Birmingham. The meeting, which was private, was convened to consider the state of affairs in Ireland, with particular reference to the Mitcheistown affray and the murder of Constable Whelan. Mr. Chamberlain, in the course of the proceedings, referred to the murder of Whelan, and strongly denounced the action of the Birmingham Liberal Association in passing a resolution with regard to the Mitchelstown affray without taking cognisance of the murder of Whelan. He characterised such a resolution as an impertinent absurdity. He maintained that it WU the duty of whatever party was in office to uphold the law. In a country where the democracy had full power the Government was the creation of the electors; and he condemned any unlawful or violent methods for !securing political reforms. Such reforms must be brought about by constitutional means that was to say, through the ballothoz. If Mr. Gladstone had been in power, he would have done infinitely more in the way of putting down these illegal demonstrations than the Tory Government had done. During Mr. Gladstone's tenure of office no fewer than 130 meetings were suppressed by the Executive, whilst during the Conservative Administration only twelve meetings had been suppressed. He believed the Government were justitled in taking the step they had taken, and it he had ' been in office he should have done the same. He deplored the mischievous effects of the policy of those English members of Parliament who had associated themselves with meetings in connection with the National League, more especially as it had been announced by the Nationalist leaders that the present crisis was a struggle for life and death between the National league and the Government of the country. He believed that the League was dying a natural death; but with the array of agitators whose living was dependent upon it they could not but expect that it would die hard. The c induct of the police at Mitchelstown was the subject of judicial inquiry. and he would not go into the question of their culpability. On the whole, however, be believed they noted with ' forbearance and in a splendid manner. They were told to defend their house, and they did so. It was not until the place had been stormed and stoned that they fired. With regard to the attempt to clear a way for a Government rep rter, it was necessary that one should be present, as in such eases they could not rely upon the newspaper reports it. prosecution was necessary. He himself had found that if one quoted a newel:inner report against an Irish speaker, he at once got up and denied its accuracy. In conclusion, Mr. Chamberlain dwelt upon the capital which the Gladstonlans were making out of the bloodshed in the Mitchelstown affray. They wore stumping the country, denondcing in the strongest language the action of the police on that occasion; but—and he called particular attention to this—they were entirely dumb about the ,  cruel and unprovoked murder of Head - constable Whelan. He was everywhere known as a pati, nt and forbearing officer. He died a victim to duty ; but the Gladstonian orators had no word of sympathy for the widow and her children, and no word of reprobation for the action of the League which led up to the outrage. A resolution to the effect that the meeting "expresses its horror and indignation at the atrocious murder of Head-constable Whelan, and condemns the tyrannical system of the National League, which has led to this and I other murderous outrages in Ireland, and also condemns the action of the League and of its English allies in promoting a meeting at Mitchelstown, intended to intimidate the judicial tribunal charged with the hearing of the case against Mr. O'Brien," was passed unanimously. MR.