A FOOL'S PARADISE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIX, Issue 18, 30 January 1891, Page 16

A FOOL'S PARADISE.

ANY people live in a fool's paradise, and fliuongbt ihr«e we find at present some English StaU'sumi. Lord Hahtington, for example, flatterb himself that the Home Rule question in Ireland is dead • perhaps he meant* it is dead in I ngland and Scotland. We do not pretend to know as much about English and Scotch public opinion as he does. But are the elections, from time to time, a proof of his Lordship's opinion, or the contrary ? We Hud from the English journals that almost all the l>ye elections, evm these recently held, show that the Home liule question holds the firßt place in English public opinion, and even still the majority

in all, or almost all, instances is in favour of Home Rule for Ireland. This is the best commentary we can give as to the opinion of Lord Hartinoton, and if he can find comfort in this, and an argument that Home Rule is dead, it is useless to Uke any further notice of his vagaries. Home Rule dead ! It has never died in Ireland, nor is there the least likelihood that it shall ever die there ; and so long as it lives in Ireland it must live in England »nd Scotland. There is no sentiment stronger in the hearts of Irishmen all the world over than that of Home Rule. It has become a part of the very nature of every Irishman. For seven hundred years it has been growing in intensity, and now it is an integral and recognised constituent of every Irishman's nature. Its necessity has been proved by centuries of foreign misrule, cruelty, bigotry, and plunder, and the idea of abandoning agitation for Home Kule is one that never enters into the head of any Irishman. It is now the conviction of every Irishman that one of two things is inevitable— Home Rule or the extirpation of the Irish people and nation. Bat having fought for hundreds of years for existence, the right to live in their native land, and fought single-handed in them own land, it is unlikely that the Irish in Ireland are about to give up the fight now that they have allies in millions in America; Australasia, and Africa, not to speak of the millions prepared to help them in England and Scotland. How wonderful is the blindness and folly of those men who, wishing for tie death of Home Rule, predict what they desire, and shut their eyes to the teaching of the plainest facts of past and contemporary history. Will anything teach them common sense ? We fear not, for none are such fools as those who rather take a pride in their folly than otherwise. The unfortunate split caused by Mr. Parnell's recent course of action has led to the folly of which we speak. But a little reflection would soon put this to flight. The collapse of the agitation in 1848 and other agitations did not extinguish in Irishmen the yearning for Home Rule or weaken their conviction of its necessity. If agitation now and then languished for a time, it was only that it might burst out more fiercely on fitting occasions, and as it has been in the past, the enemies of Ireland may rest assured it will be in the future. The next general election in Ireland will prove to Lord Hartinoton and others that so far from being dead Home Rule is more alive than ever. So ; it is not in selfflattery that a remedy is to be found for the grievance of Ireland, but in ju6t and wise legislation, which can never be provided outside of Ireland and by any other Parliament than an Irish one. Experience proves this, centuries of sad experience prove this to demonstration, and common sense confirms it. Jt is only by its own people a nation can be wisely and justly governed. Ihe history of the world makes this evident, and the practice of England herself in giving local legislatures to all her colonies shows that of this England herself is convinced. Why not, then, give to Ireland what has ouly recently been given to Western Australia with its thirty thousand inhabitants ? Why ? Yes, that is the question. And every student of history and real statesman can answer the question otf-hand. Seven centuries of hate and injustice and plunder have rendered the governing classes unable to forgive in Ireland a people moßt grievously injured. This is the reason, and there is no other reason. But if the governing classes of England cannot bring themselves to be just to their victims, these victims, of course, cannot be persuaded to lie down quietly to be kicked and outraged and plundered indefinitely. Ixo ; Home Rule is not dead. Nor can it die. It is a 8 alive to-day as it has ever been, and live it will as long as an Irishman breathes on God's earth. Lord Hartinoton and his fellows may deceive themselves, but the Irish people, who have felt, and still feel, the blows, can never forget who aud what their tyrants have been. Human nature must cease to exist before Ireland can cease to yearn for and labour for Home Rule,