THE IRISH REBELLION.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXX, Issue 33, 13 May 1916, Page 5

THE IRISH REBELLION.

“CLEMENCY I” NEWSPAPER COMMENT. United Press Assoojaxiow. (Received 8.45 a.m.) London, May 12. The Manchester Guardian states: - James Connolly, and presumably Mac Dermofct, now under the death sen fence, by an unwritten law must be nursed back to life before- being executed, ns it will be some weeks before Connolly will be sufficiently strong to stand up. What conceivable gain can thei'O be in shooting him ? There have been grave errors, and some signal act is needed to efface hideous memories, such as the shooting of Skeffington and two others who are equally innocent. Mr Asquith’s main object in visiting Ireland is to restore good feeling. Great ends demand great decisions, and for Ireland our policy in this testing time is summed up in the one word, “Clemency.” WIDOW SKEFFINCTON’S COMPLAINT. (Received 9.50 a.m.) London, May 12. Mrs Skeffington states that on the ’day following-lier husband’s death, tin military surrounded, her house and bred through the front windows; then they burst in and placed herself, her son of. seven, and the maid under arrest, ransacked the house and moved the books and papers. PLOT TO KIDNAP SIR EDWARD CARSON. SINN FEINERS’ PLANS MISiCARRY. (Received, 9.50 a.m.) London, May 12. The Daily Telegraph’s Parliamentary correspondent states that evidence exists that Sinn Feiners plotted to kid nap Sir Edward Carson from Ronalo McNeill’s residence at Cushendall (Antrim) on Easter Monday, but their plans miscarried, owing to Sir Edward Canson’s inability to visit Ireland through the shortness of the Easter recess.

GENERAL MAXWELL'S REPORT. General Maxwell reports that the Dublin court-martial of active participants is finished, and that those in the provinces .are proceeding. In view of the gravity of. the rebellion, its German support, and the loss of life and property, it has been imperative to inflict the severest sentences on the organisers and active fighters of a detestable rising in the hope that such would deter intriguers, as the murder iof the King’s subjects would not be tolerated. ■ i ■ >’ s . r • t-.m It 4 —r-r ' i;'DMR ASQUITH’S VISIT. (Received 11.10 a.m.) ....... , London,* I Mr Asquith arrived at Kingstown !early in’ the morning and drove to the Vice-Regal Lodge via many of the principal areas of the disturbance. Tie saw Sackville Street and Four Courts. STATEMENT BY MR ASQUITH. London , May 11. In the House of Commons, Mr Asqtiith emphasised the Government’s desire to allay bitterness, and appealed for greater approximation and a greater feeling of sympathy between all parties. Infinite mischief could be done by any word that was calculated to obstruct or impair the chance of a happy and desirable consummation for quiet. It was true that nine out of ten Irishmen were on tho side of the lav. When it is remembered, he said, that the casualties among the military and civic population were 131.5, including 304 killed, their sympathies ought not to he entirely monopolised by the unfortunate misguided victims of an unhappy criminal insurrection. Mr Asquith explained the principal death sentences. Ho said that five out of seven who were shot signed the proclamation, and the seven others had' commanded the rebels. The third class consisted of the murderers, of whom there had been only one sentenced to death. The sentences of the two other signatories to the proclamation had been confirmed, and of these one took a most active part in tho rebellion. It would be unfair to accord to these men preferential treatment, as their five comrades were properly executed and therefore he did not see why he should interfere with General Maxwell’s decision. So far as he knew, there was no reason to resort to the extreme penalty in the other cases, unless they were those of murder, when the trial would take place in open court. There was much excitement in tho Commons, the Nationalists and Ulstermen attending in full force, particularly as there were reports that negotiations were afoot for Sir E. Carson and Mr Redmond to participate in settling the whole Irish question. This rumor may he premature, hut many think that the- temper of the moderate members of the House of I Commons is suitable for a settlement, for the first time in a century. Lord Derby is mentioned as Lord iWimborne’s successor.

Mr Samuel and Mr Asquith uoie sharply questioned concerning the executions, particularly that of bkeffihg-

ton, whom a section of the newspapel : s magnifying as a hero who was wori mg desperately to stop the fighting. Mr Tennant said that 1706 robe! iad been deported, and there had be* ‘burteen executions. Mr Dillon immediately accused th Government cf net keeping its promu that there would be no further execi ions, pending a debate. Mr Asquith later explained tha there had only been thirteen exeev tious. In a telling passage in Mr Dillon’ mpassioned speech lie narrated how mmber of rebels had been asked t ?ive evidence against their comrades V boy, of 16 years of age, refused. Ai officer said: “You will be shot.” Tin boy replied: “Shoot away!” (Nation ilist cheers). The boy was blindfolded placed against a wall and made to hea Tie click of revolvers. Finally he wa isked to answer, but he replied: “Now hoot!” The troops, relieved, thei took off his bandage. Mr Dillon added: This damnabh Louse ought to be ashamed. My son seventeen years of age, asked permission to enlist in the army, and I consented, but I will never do so now. Mr Asquith’s dramatic announce? nent that he is going to Ireland tpoli he sting out of the attack on the Government. The incident has recalled lis sensational decision to take ovei .he War Office at the time of the riser trouble. Mr Asquith agreed that a great body J the insurgents fought bravely and onducted themselves -with humanity, entrusting most favorably with our ivilised enemies in the -field. The wisition in Ireland, he said,' was more atisfactory. The Government had the greatest confidence in General Masveil’s discretion and conduct of a debate and difficult jurisdiction. Ireland •ould not remain under martial law, ,nd Mr Asquith said he had come to he conclusion that it was his duty to ,;o to Ireland without delay, not tq uipersede the executive, but to con--,uit the civil and military authorities, .1 order to arrive at arrangements for ,ho future, which would commend Tiomselves to the general sense of the fish and other parties in the House. Mr Dillon’s, motion was negatived without' a division. Xn.the Comraonp, Mr T. Healy congratulated Sir Asquith on his decision, thole people governing Ireland had been grossly misled, and by some of hi* >wn , countrymen. ' Others besides the Sinn Feiners might-..we1l be called to account.. The rising, jhad been grossly exaggerated, suppressed without military skill oh judgment, and with wholesale and Colossal loss of life md prppoyty. • ’ Lord Lansdowne, in the House of Lords, said that Sinn F’einers who had leen in the Government employ had been discharged, and it was hot inended to allow arms in Ireland without a license. Martial law would conihue until there was perfect security.

l ord Loreburn’s motion of censure., if tho Government wajfe agreed to without A Oivlsioftv®- * v -' * •*-* Lord Lansdowne said--that the rebellion was one of the most discreditable and most humiliating episodes in the recent history of Ireland. \lt was a ‘stab in the Lack, instfgatlct |y foreign intrigue, some extent paid for by money frbjm- our enemies. Had not the rebellion iniscarried at the outset, he' was convinced that the rebels wobld have flocked to their standard. Regarding the. unfair to say that the Govemrbent was making a scapegoat of Mr Birrell. Lord Halsbury, in the House of Lords wihed to know what information the Government had acted upon, and whether it had allowed that which had caused the calamity. Lord Cromer said that, while h« thought the best chance ow finding the war was to support the Government, yet before it could accept Mr Birrell’* regrets he felt inclined -to say: “Give us back those priceless lives of officers and men who have been;Sacrificed by vour neglect, want of . foresight, and culpable optimism.” / Two hundred corpses have been found amid the ruins of rooms’,, roofs, chimneys, and jiirds in the .lanes of DubSkeffington, when executed, refused to be blindfolded, and remarked to the officers: “You will find that you are making a mistake.” He put his hand before bis eyes, which a bullet perfor-i ated. He died with a smile on hi* bps.