ALLEGED FENIAN PLOT.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2573, 20 June 1881, Page 2

ALLEGED FENIAN PLOT.

Referring to the report that the Fenian Brotherhood in New York had determined on the murder of Mr Gladstone, the “ St James’s Budget ” says : —"The Trustee of the Fenian fund at New York declares that the report of a plan to kill Mr Gladstone is baseless, and that such an act would do no good. So Mr Reuter’s agent at New York reports ; and the Trustee of the Fenian fund may bo on having arrived at a sound conclusion. It would do no good whatever to kill Mr Gladstone. Possibly, his murder might lead to unpleasant embroilments with tire United States Government—its tendency would certainly be to excite a certain amount of ill-feeling on this side of the Atlantic. But though those consequences might be gratifying to the Fenian Brotherhood, they would not compensate for some others, which if the Brotherhood really love Ireland, they would probably have to deplore. Besides in murdering Mr Gladstone the Fenians would be guilty of an act of ingratitude which all the world would reprehend. They should recollect that he is the only statesman in England who has accorded to them a political status—recognising them as a moral force capable of turning itself, or being turned, to excellent uses in practical politics."