THE LATEST PROPOSAL.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 7, 8 June 1883, Page 21

THE LATEST PROPOSAL.

A telegram from London says that Sir William Harcourt, Home Secretary, declares that England must " secure such legislation " as will deprive the Iriuh in Ireland of their strong support by the sympathy of the Irish in America. Speaking upon the subject, the Home Secretary is reported to have used the following language :— "lt is not a matter of great difficulty with the British Government to cope with treasonable Irishmen who live in either Ireland or England. That is comparatively, easy, because in these cases the traitors are British subjects and the British Government is well organised to reach a British subject wherever he may be, for the purpose of either punishing him for his crimes or protecting him in his liberties. But for many years past the British Government has been under obligations by a treaty to recognise the renunciation of allegiance of every British subject who chooses to go to the United Skates and become a citizen of that country, even though his adoption of citizen* ship be solely for treasonable purposes. Great Britain in 1871 concluded with the United States the treaty recognising the renunciation of allegiance by British subjects who chose to become American citizens. Before that time the British subject was always a British subject, and could be br aught back and punished for treason* able words or actions, wherever uttered or committed. Since that time Irish treason ha 3 developed into a system, with refuge and msans of attack, but always dependent on the inspiration furnished from Home. So long as Irish movements for independence continue to be treason to the British Government, attempts at remedial legislation for Ireland must continue to be waste of time. Unless there be a perfect sundering of the relationships existing between the men who think out treason here and those who act out that treason behind the refuge of foreign citizenship, no Irish traitor in Ireland or England, no matter how powerful for evil by reason of his station, his means or his ability, need ever do an overt act or place hinself within the law's cognizance so long as he can safely remain in communication with traitors abroad and move them. The Explosives Act will put an end to this communication, and will go further toward restoring and securing peace than 1,000 volumes of remedial legislation. I repeat the sentiment I expressed in the House, that England has to deal with men who, like pirates, are the enemies of, the human race, and who, in my opinion, ought to be treated like men who have no nationality ; and some 1 of these men are men in the higher walks of life, banded together like assassins organising societies for the avowed purpose of collecting funds to pay the expenses of wholesale murder and national assassination."