Year: 1879




was anticipated would be effected in con-
sequence of the non-payment of rent at
Balla Placards were posted upon the
walls which called upon the disaffected
to assemble at that place in order to resist
authority and reinstate tenant in prop
erty from which the officers of the law
were instructed to eject him. 1t seemed
which in the most favorable circumstances
might merely end in fierce fight on
the part of unprepared country people
with a well armed and we'll disciplined
constabulary. but which in its graver aspect
might be regarded as only a first act OF
rebellion, and thus justify the immediate
application of the stamping out processes
of martial law. Irreconcilable attitudes
were taken on the various sides of the issue
and there seemed to be resolute will 10
adhere to them If tenants would not or
could not pay the rent it was bad enough,
but if they could and would it was evident
that men terrorized by the example of what
had been done at Sligo were placed in a
position of helplessn ess between the law and
the landlords on one hand and the violent
assaults on the other of an agrarian rage
from which the law could not protect them.
They were warned not to pay on pain of
violent assault-perhaps murder; pay was
demanded from them on pain of eviction.
Resistance to the law and enforcement of
the law thus stood face to face with one
another over the case of the Balla tenant,
and deeper trouble than any yet reached
seemed imminent. Authority could not give
way without immediate loss of all the hold
it has morally throughout the country, and
the agitators committed to resistance
their own programme.


But it is now announced that the rent
has been paid, and consequently the
strained interest has been taken out of this
particular point and the immediate appre-
hension OF collision has been removed. How
far this fact may be regarded as indicating
modification Of the attitude Of the parties
we cannot say in the present contradictory
statements of the particular details of the
process. If the tenant was unable to pay,
the money has been made up for him; if he
was indisposed to pay, he has been con-
vinced of the necessity; if he was
afraid to pay, he has been reas-
sured on that important point By
whom and by whose agency have
these several points been arranged? For it
will be said that this result implies that
the resistance is without backbone; that,
brought to the critical point on an issue it
had made, it yielded at last rather than
face the consequences of conflict with the
authorities which it had insulted and de-
fed that this will be repeated elsewhere
and that it points to the end of the story
to the collapse of the movement like q
bubble in its first collision with the hard
facts of the case. For our part we do not
look upon it in that way, and the refusal
to precipitate collision over the tenant
that the advisers of violence have yielded
than that wiser men than they are are more
| considered in the counsels of those who
have at heart the amelioration Of the condi-
ton of the Irish people. If the payment of
rent was made, as appears, by any under
standing with leaders this was in pursu-
ance of deliberate plan which assumes
that agitation must keep itself safe within
the limits of the law, and must avoid con-
flicts which had been invited by hot-headed
counsels-conficts which could not be for
moment doubtful and must necessarily
be ruinous in their consequences II such
o plan is fully accepted the movement is
- &c
ment in Irish history.


Avoidance of collision with the consti-
tuted authorities is the first article of wis
dom in movement which proposes reforms
such as Ireland needs. An agitation such
as is now on foot in Ireland, and which,
rightly propagated. may sweep into ono
pool the whole vote of the nation in Par
liament-may, in short, confront the par
ties in England with the apparition OF a
''solid Ireland" is q formidable instru-
ment for political uses; it is of no
value whatever for fight. Ireland
ought to be able practically to control
the legislation in the British Parliament,
and to get what legislation she wanted for
herself as the price of not defeating the
policy of the English parties. With our
experience it seems strange that Irishmen
do not see this. If they proceeded at home
as they do here no effective opposition
could be made to their demands. The
'ssolid Irish vote" controlled the politics
of this city at time when the number OF
Irishmen resident here was much smaller
than it is now; and if the Irish vote should
go into Parliament with solidity equal to
what it has SO often shown here both
tories and liberals would have to bargain
with it for the passage Of any cherished
measure of their own. In the next British
Parliament the division OF parties will al
most certainly be at point which will
afford chance for united Irish represen-