The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1886. IRISH AFFAIRS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1353, 28 September 1886, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna Est Veritas et Prevalebit TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1886. IRISH AFFAIRS.

“ An Irishman,” who addresses himself to this subject in a letter published in another column of to-day’s issue, seems to think that because, in ourarticle cf Friday last, we condemned the outrages which have recently been perpetrated in that country we must necessarily be opposed to the granting of Home Rule to Ireland. He also assumes that we approve of exaction and cruelty on the part of landlords and that we are the champions of injustice and oppression. In this, he is wholly wrong, for the present writer has for many years been convinced that the only solution of the problem “ How to restore peace and contentment to Ireland ” lies in the direction of entrusting to the Irish people themselves S those matters of legislation and administration which are of a domestic sort and which do no appertain to the domain of Imperial p ility. And we, at the same time, admit—we have always admitted that there hive been gross injustice and cruel wrongs perpetrated in the past as well by the English Government as by landlords or 1 mdlords factors, and so fir from approving of merciless evictions under such circumstances as “ An Irishman ” refers to md the picture is, we believe, not overdrawn —we are as ready ro denounce them as he is. But two blacks do not make a white, and cruelty to dumb animals cannot be justified on the plea oi reprisals for cruelly to human beings. Nor will those who are favorable to entrusting to Irishmen the management of their own affairs be encouraged in maintaining that view by such spectacles of violence and anarchy as were witnessed at Belfast, and which called forth the remarks which “ An Irishman ” has taken as a subject for animadvers on. On the contrary, are not such sad transactions eminently calculated to strengthen the hands of those who conscientiously oppose Home Rule, in Ireland as well as out of it, and who insist that to grant it would only be to plunge the country into disorder and internecine strife? “An Irishman” may depend upon it that an unwise friend is often more dangerous than an avowed enemy, and that, so far from forwarding the cause he has at heart, violence, such as is committed in the name of the National cause in Ireland, is the greatest of all barriers to Us success. Nay, even extravagance of language spoils the effect of the advocacy, and though there are statements in “ An Irishman’s '’ latter which we can heartily endorse, there are others which on reading them in print we chink even the writer himself will scarcely attempt to justify. We have said at the outset that we favor the granting of Home Rule in matters not of Imperial interest, but the difference between us and “An Irishman ” is that whereas he apparently would argue that the end will justify any means used for its accomplishment, we insist that a lawful object may only be sought by lawful means, and that the reform sought for must be sought for in a constitutional way. An I can it be denied that during the past few years the Imperial Parliament has shown an earnest desire to redress the grievances of the Irish peop'e, to abolish the evils of absentee landlordism, to put an end to oppression and rack-renting, and to widen and extend the liberties of the people ? Is it not the fact that it is conceded on all hands—by both Liberals and Conservatives—that extensive measure of reform must be passed, and is it not certain when this is so that these measures must and will become law at no distant date? Is this, then, the lime to talk of oppre si m and tyranny in terms that would only be justified w*ere a deaf ear persisten ly turned to the demand for relief ? Is it wise, is it prudent, is it calculated to encourage friends and to disarm foes to take up such an attitude at such a juncture? Surely not. And is it possible for any State to pioceed wi b measures of the kind we have referreo to, in the face of aimed rebellion and

the defiance of a’l liw? Ceitiinly not. Is it not plain then that we are right tr insisting that the law must be obeyed and au family ifspected? Public order must first be maintained. It is the first duty of the State. The next is that of wise government, and that government only is wise which entrusts to the people, as fully and freely ns possible, the right of governing themselves. And “ An Irishman” may rest assured that the surest way to obtain the extension of that ri*ht in the fullest sense to Ireland is for the Irish people to show their fitness to administer their own affairs by their respect for law and authority.