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South Canterbury Times. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1882.

Just as people had begun to congratulate themselves on the apparently improved condition of Ireland, the genius of secret murder again suddenly rose, and the world was once more horrified by the repetition of those acts of assassination which had gained for the country so dreadful a notoriety. We confess that the appearance of things is very disheartening. Those of us who acknowledge that Irish people have had to endure a great deal of raisgovernment, of social banning, of indifference at the hands of the English people, and that their hostility to England was not unnatural, yet believed that the heart of the people would now acknowledge that the English Government, embodying the will of the nation, really desired to do justice to its estranged child. Liberal measures were framed ; outrage, rebellion and complete terrorism were not ungently dealt with ; in fact, the 1 Government exhibited unequalled forbearance under extreme provocation. It was clear that a day of reform, of redress of grievances,had come to Ireland. The cessation of outrage which followed the Phoenix Park tragedy was broken in upon occasionally by some midnight horror, but on the whole things were loolri ig hopeful. Now was the time for the leaders, the socalled patriots, to exhibit true patriotism. The Church, by the utterances of her most distinguished prelates,

fulfilled her part, by warning, entreating, and exhorting the people against outrageous measures and rebellion ; and wo certainly expected that men like Mr Dillon, whom we believed to be a real patriot, would have seen the necessity, in the best interests of their country, of exerting all the influence they possessed against the system of assassination for which the Irish people have obtained a monopoly of reputation. It is with very deep pain that all friends of Ireland will learn that such is not the case, that the voices of the leaders have been silent when they should have been heard, and that they should have permitted their followers to fall out of the ranks of order into the byways of violence and murder. The poor deluded people are, in truth, in a most pitiful state. With the faculty of judgment quite undeveloped, being of a naturally fiery temperament, they are at the mercy of agitators just as much as of tyrants. A rebel leader may obtain an ascendancy over them equal to that which the church obtains. They are as submissive to the one as to the other. For a long period past, secret societies have kept up a state of combustion within, and the cursed brotherhoods are doing their horrid work in secret. The only way to come at the root of the matter now is for England to address all the skill and funds sbecan,to tbediscovery and extirpation of the leaders ol these societies. These are the fiends who stand, unseen, whispering in the ear of wretched Ireland, and laughing to themselves at the fearful effect of their teachings. There surely must be, in the Irish people, enough common sense and moral vigor left, to enable them, with England’s help, to arise and shake off the foul fiends that beset her. We trust the Government will use Fenian agents, secret society leaders, and all persons of that class, as the settler does the wolf, without quarter. It will have to he done, and the sooner the better. The feeble policy of England in India nearly played into the hands of the sepoy rebels. It is to be hoped that the Fenians will not receive any such dilatory treatment, but will obtain their deserts forthwith.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/SCANT18821202.2.8

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

South Canterbury Times, Issue 3021, 2 December 1882, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
602

South Canterbury Times. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1882. South Canterbury Times, Issue 3021, 2 December 1882, Page 2

South Canterbury Times. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1882. South Canterbury Times, Issue 3021, 2 December 1882, Page 2

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