Year: 1870

would satisfy them; but they kept deaf cor to the
cries OF the people and proposed land bill which
ah sho wno,e nation mas unhesitatingy pronounced


Tnc government Is now engaged In ga0gng the
mouths OF those who are crying out against their de-
ception and Injustice by o blll unsurpassed in
severity by the penal laws OF the sixteenth and
Gar At such time and under such circumstances
u Is strange, to say the least for liberal govern
U nave & r 70 suc r.. cruel and arbitrary
crime among the agrarlan population and 10 prevent
tne spread Of sedton among the ignorant classes OF
causes which induced the government to propose
TINS terrible bill as leading London journal calls
To- To- my p that am inclined
very false advlsed step the part OF the govern
ment anu tnat before long they will discover that
they nave made very serious mistake They were,
readily admit the most popular English
government that ever ruled Ireland but Il must also
be admitted that they have passed this bill at the
not think that it VIII either prevent crime or the
spread or sediton. On the contrary. 1t will be the
means OF doing much mischief and, as believe
have the enect OF increasing the number Of those
0utrages which 1t was intended to suppress The
people are disappointed with the Land h; the Coer.
all confidence In the British Parliament. The CHI
canery OF the government during the last few months
has made them more dlsloyal than they ever were
before They are become almost Indifferent to Par
llamentary action. 1 may tell you that have very
who expected redress at the hands OF Mr.. Gladstone
nave lost all confidence In him. and have become so
9lsoya alt that m y Is greatly to be feared the nexs few


A BLOW AT NATIVE LIBERTY"


The Coercion BILL Or, as u Is erroneousy called the
liberty; It is peculiarly severe and stringent with
regard to the rural population and the national press
the people entirely at the mercy OF the maglstracy
ana the police believe am justified In saying
qualified, either by education or impartiaty. to ad-
minister justice from the bench than would be the
Hotentots OF Africa, nor as WELL for the latter are
actuated by spirit of fairness IN their dealings,
which, regret to say, does not always characterize
The conduct of the Justice "shallows" Of Ireland.
Publicly and openly, without the least reserve or
scruple, these carry their partisanship to such
an extent that the people nave come to
SIDE as @ nssrsments Of ota5 oaSgePan @
Is as much opposed to Fenian and Fenian
to 0rangeman as II they were arrayed against each
pect does he get. justice from the other Should
q magistrate have any pique or grudge against q
avaling himself OF his position on the Dench TO re-
venge 1t. Instances OF this kind are OF daily occur
renee, and have contributed IN no small degree to
degrade the Irish bench in the estimation of the Irish
people.


c TO the tender mercy Of these nery partisans Mr.
people OF Ireland. For example, any person found
out OF his house IN proclaimed district" at any
time from one hour after sunset to sunrise may be


brought before justice Of the peace, and should he
be unable to prove to the satisfaction Of the mags
trate that he was out on lawful business he Is liable
to pe imprisoned with hard labor for six calendar
months


Again should any misdemeanor be committed in
proclaimed district; should. Tor example, land.


lord take 1t into his head 10 write himsefa threaten
ing letter, justice OF the peace may summon any
person before him whom he believes or fancies can
give material evidence, and although no person ls
actually accused Of the crime, the magistrate can
examine The unfortunate victim Of his suspicious,


and should the latter refuse answer the
that may be put to him he is liable to imprisonment.
This IS, beyond oil doubt, most arbitrary ana des-
pOtic enactment. / question very much whether
there is more cruel or severe law In force In any
other country In the world This part OF the bill
as it stands. is capable of the most terrible
abuse; the magistrates, and even the police have
It In their power to oppress innocent men to
many OF these functionares will do their worst Not
until the police and the magistrates have the power.
under the proysioas OF TINS o 20 rae rouEnsnoa
they WILL into acts OF violence, will the country and
the world have an opportunity OF seeing the benefits
THE CONTRAST WITH ENGLAND.
The Irish people regard the bill ss perfectly un
land did not require. They point to the terrible
murders committed day after day III England, the
crimes Of almost all descrip1ons which aarkea her


place In England they see that it is almost
menus notice; but If an irish landlord or agent


is fired at, the fact ia elegraphed all over the king


lowed to take their course, in the latter large re
wards are usually offered for the apprehension OF
| the assassin. The English murders are allowed TO
go on, while the Irish agrarian outrages are stamped
out by brute force.


POPULAR REASONING.


assure you the most llliterate Irish peasant
plainly Mr.. Gladstone does the great difference
in the treatment CT both crimes. Nothing VIII ever
banlsh from hls mind the beel that the Coercion
bill was passed. not so much for the repression OF
Irish crime for the persecution OF tho Irish peo.
pie. He Will ask you, with logic that is FIRE.
sisble "lr this Coercion bill Intended as bless
for Ireland, why not give England also the bene-
fit Oh itW and he knows as we'll as any Cabinet
Minister that England requires it far than Ire
land.


THE MORAL.
It is q well known fact that the Irish are moral
murder, unless in connection with the tenure OF
land, Is almost unknown; and had Mr.. Gladstone
been wise enough co have given good land bill, he
would have succeeded far more e1ectually IN put
ting q stop to agrarlan crime than he may ex-
pect to do by his coercion bill II the Irish people
TO be governed at all, they must be governed by
kindness and genteness, not by tyranny and op.
preston. They may be led anywhere, but they will
not be driven. They may be gagged, but they Will
cease to out against the severity Of this bill


The feeling OF the country with regard to this
Give measure was very well expressed to me O few
days ago by old man. sitting and breaking stones
by the roadside. "Ah," he sad, 'ths is England
4