The Atherstone, Nuneaton, and Warwickshire Times. — 1880-11-20 (Atherstone, Warwickshire, England)

THE IRISH QUESTION COUNTRY.  Mr. Parnell's, but so little as to make tit*  statement utterly misleading and absolutely inaccurate. The Trades Union Act of 1871  did not repeal the law of conspiracy so far as Trades Unions are concerned. By the  Common Law any combination in restraint of trade is illegal, and the Trades Union Act ef 1871 simply enacted that a Trades Union should not be illegal by reason only that it was  a combination in restraint of tr-ade. Were any Trades Union in England to combine for purposes and objects similar to those of the Irish Land League, in spite of the Trades 'Union Act, the members would be liable to prosecution. Supposing a Union were to be formed to induce and compel by threats workmen to leave their work without notice and to illegally break their existing contracts does Mr. Parnell mean to state that such a combination would be legal? The law watches most jealously the conduct of Trades Unions towards those members of their trades who do not belong to the Union, and punishes severely any interference with or threats against them. The difference between the two organisations is this—that whilst Trades Unions are formed to induce their members to enter into contracts of only a certain description, the Land League is formed for the 'purpose of inducing its members illegally to break their existing contracts, and by threats to compel tenants not to perform the contracts they have entered into, to illegally retain possession of their land, and to prevent the due execution of the law. The people of England are not so blind that they cannot see the huge difference existing between these two organisations, and no pleading, however plausible, on the part of Mr. Parnell, will induce the country to convict the Government of inconsistency in the matter. We are aware that the leaders of the Land League mildly profess that they are not responsible for the murders and outrages which have taken place. Mr. Dillon, however, said the other day that the result of the operations of the Land League had been to reduce rents and to abolish evictions. No doubt this result has accrued, but is it owing to the peaceful agitation of the Land League? Can any reasonable persons deny that this result has been brought about by the threats used and the fear produced by the murders and outrages? If so, and the Land League is not  res—ponsible for these murders and- outrages, then the Land League has not accomplished this result, it is entirely due to the vile work of assassins and ruffians, sheltered by hedges, and protected by the sympathy of their neighbours. All that the Land League has accomplished therefore is to encourage and support these murderous ruffians in their bloodthirsty outrages, and to induce a certain numbei of tenant farmers to pay their money to the League instead of honestly paying the rent they had contracted to pay to their landlords. English Liberals can easily perceive the drift of all this. Mr. Parnell may delude the ignorant Irish peasantry, particularly when certain Roman Catholic priests are guilty of the abominable vileness of supporting him for their own purposes, but when intelligent Englishmen are appealed • to matters are entirely changed. The Irish peasantry naturally— have a leaning towards advice which precludes the necessity of paying rent, and which, temporarily at least, gives them the privilege of living rent free, but sturdy English workmen have been taught to consider such conduct in its true light of dishonesty. The position which is and should be taken by Em4lish Liberals is clear and defined. Ireland has suffered in the past without question. Ireland has a right by constitutional and lawful means—means which have been found ample in England to bring about reforms—to agitate for redress of her grievances. The Government has expressed its intention of setting about in earnest to redress those grievances, and Irelaud must be heard,in a legitimate wanner, in the discussion of the proposed remedies. But first and foremost ' the law must be upheld and vindicated, and all ilk gal action and conduct must be repressed and crushed, at whatever cost, by existing means if possible, and if the Irish people r prove that that be not possible, then by special means. The sooner this lesson is learnt by the Irish people the sooner will the b country become happy and prosperous.