AMERICAN OPINION OF THE IRISH PEOPLE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3688, 10 May 1883, Page 4

AMERICAN OPINION OF THE IRISH PEOPLE.

The American paper Puck says : —"The Irish havo talked more and done less than any people on tho face of tho earth. For centuries they havo bragged to tho whole world of their courage, their wit, their cleverness, their good nature. At the present day Avhat do we find them ? A discontented, idle, debt-disowning lot. Discontented with the Government that protects them, that makes them every concession within its power, that treats thotn with a forbearance unexampled in the records of politics. Idle—for with thousands of hands strong for tho work of the anvil, 'thr> plough, and the loom, their broad laud has neither commercial nor agricultural importance, save for a few cities whore British capital and British custom havo built up a trade. Dishonest— because when a famine conies upon them they make it an excuse for not paying the money they owe. AVheu we say disloyal, wo mean to use the word in its fullest and fairest meaning-. Ireland lives only through British pride and courage and military skill. If Britain had not fought for herself and for her own on a hundred br.ttlcficlds, Ireland would be the helpless dependency of some Continental Power. Irishmen of to-day talk of tyranny. What is tho equitable, even indulgent,, government of Britain to tho despotism which Austria or Russia has exercised over tho nations they havo conquered 'f Lot the disaffected Irishmen ask this question iv -Loinbardy or in Poland. Ireland belongs to Britain. The Irish have no more right to ask for recognition as an independent nation than our Indians havo to set up a Government for themselves on the lands that are our property. Tho memory of history runs not to the time when Ireland had a Government sufficiently strong or sufficiently stable to make her respected among tho nations of the earth. When the Irishman talks of his lost freedom he recalls only the system of slavory under the reign of barbarian kings. The country was conquered, and finally conquered, centuries ago, as Wales ivas conquered. It could not, be otherwise. This little hand's-brcath of sea-girt land could not hold throe kingdoms. Wales long ago accepted the situation, mado the best of it, and joined their forces with the greater force,' to mako as strong a country as the world has ever known. Only Ireland, in its unproductive idleness, stood apart and waged it mean, cowardly, and childish war against tho great nation that, in conquering

thcAvild land, made its people partners iv its oavu greatness and glory. Ireland Avould not Avork Avith the rest ; she would only beg—for to beg she was not ashamed —and bite tho hand that gave. Since the time she has found a master she has set _ apart from other peoples, Avrapping herself in the mantle of her poverty, accepting every g-iffc, and cursing the giver. She has contributed nothing to the national prosperity. If she has not benefitted by it, it has been because she Avould not stretch forth her hand. She has posed before the Avorld as a picturesque martyr, as she has clone nothing, and she has asked everything. And, lie it noted, the idleness of Ireland is no question of disaffection or discouragement. Irishmen haA'e rarely clone any Avork, oven in this free country, to improve their social condition. We have found them useful in building railroads, iv diggingcanals, and laying seAvcr-pipes. AVhenoA'er they have risen above this level it has been only to maladminister tho government of some hapless toAvn or city that has fallen into their clutches. They arc too lazy, too lacking iv pluck even to fight. A handful of friendless, helpless, hopeless Cubans Avatrod for years a war against Spain, Avhich should have enlisted all the nations of the earth in their cause. But the Irishman hides behind a fence and shoots his landlord in the back. This is his idea of courageous Avarfarc.