The Barrow Herald and Furness Advertiser. — 1888-03-17 (Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England)

CHURCHMAN.  /ICC°  ARCHDEACON CROSSE AND THE GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND. Dear sir.—The other day, when I was reading one of the leading journals, I came across a paragraph containing a list of Church of England rniuisteis who protest against the Irish policy of the Government (I think the grand total was 250). To my great astonishment, appeared the name of Archdeacon Crosse! I have heard lately about the misappropriation of S. George's pulpit, but this crowns all I should like to know what were the Archdeacon's opinions duriug Mr Gladstone's Irish regime, I venture to say this is another case of "iodow me under." " where thou goeet I will go," &c. Be. that as it m iy, I can't understand how auy rationai man, especially an archdeacon, can throw in his IA with such a gang as Johu Bright truly calls "Irish rebels." The Archdeacon knows their doctrine, and he knows their aim ; if not. let him read some of the Irish speeches, especially One by Mr Parnell. in which ha distinctly stated "that the Irish people will never rest until they have severed every link of unity that binds Ireland to England." Let him read O'Connor's (Partiell's delegate) statements in America, where he said that "the liish will' put 100,000 armed men into the field to fight unjust England, let her be engaged in whatever war she likes." There's unity of hearts fur you, which the Archdeacon and the Gladstanian satellites ye irn to consummate ! I ask the Archdeacon, if he is willing to help Parnell and O'Connor, to go the length they desire ; if not, let him like a gentleman disown such associates. I always thought that the duty of a Chridian minister was to teach a Christian doctrine and to set a Christian example, and tot aid on this horrible agitation, which is eating the very life eut of Ireland. I suppose the Archdeacon will say Mr Gladstone has never enemaraged the murderers, boycotters, intimidators, cattle I hackers, Plan of Campaign, &e. I ask, has be ever denounced them since he turned his coat, as it behoves an ex-Prime Minister? Has he denounced the "Plan of Campaign," or in other words the "Plan of Robbery ;" or has he denounced the "National League No; if he were master of his own situation he might, but ne's not. Parnell is Mr Gladstone's dictator at the present time, and Mr Gladstone knows that if he denounced the National League he would be denouncing Home Rule. I ask. the Archdeacon to look over the past of Ireland, and not be Iled away by "one maii. " whose sole lust is for office. Let him ask himseif whether such crimes as the l murder of Lord Frederick Cavendish ittid Mr Burke, Head Constable Whelelau, the old man Quirge, and scores of others, are not a standing disgrace to a Christian country; and who were the perpetrators of those murders, but the dupes of the National League, agitated on by tue "Paruellite rebels," chiefly sittiag in Westminster, and behind them the Irish Revolutionists in America. who pay these men in the British Parliament and in Ireland, to inflame the minds of the Irish people, by which they are led on to commit these brutal crimes, but take care to keep a cloud between themselves and the actual murderers. Yet these are the men whom Archdeacon Crosse would have sitting in a Parliament in Dublin. It's idle for him to say these men would have nothing to do with the same, for he's no other choice, and in doing so he would be choosing the body and soul of the National League, which Mr Gladstone in his wiser days denounced as "a body marching througn rapine to the dismemberment of the Empire." Yet because the Government hove commenced to put down this brutal terrorism in Ireland, by prosecutiug the real perpetrators, Archdeacon Crosse must needs protest. Surely, if this is the teaching of a Christian minister, I think it high time to stop. True are Mr Swine buroe's lines : " Shall England consummate the crime That binds the murderer's hand, and leaves No surety for the trust of thieves? Time pie ids against it—truth and time— And pity frowns aud grieves."