Current Topics. AT HOME AND ABROAD.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XII, Issue 17, 15 August 1884, Page 1

Current Topics. AT HOME AND ABROAD.

Q"hb secularists o£ Sydney have been treated by the "liinister for Public Instruction tod taste of^the dose which they themselves are ramming down the throats oE all those who are not secularists, and they do not like it at all. They appealed to the Minister, it seems, for permission to teach their " code "in the schools, and, on being refused, held an indignation meeting to protest against the injustice, and to inaugurate the fight they have entered upon and which, by the^ way, should prove a formidable one to their opponents, in proportion as those opponents are capable of being bored to death, and, at the same time> are obliged to listen to the arguments and speeches employed against them. — Vfe may further remark in passing that the "code" of the secularists contains their religion : of which the particular definition it would seem, is that it is no religion at all. — The State, however, they say has no business to know whether anything is a religion or not, and hence may arise the question as to how, therefore, the fault of the State in excluding the^'code " of the secularists is to be brought home to it. The meeting held by the secularists in Sydney although rather prosy, so far as the speeches and arguments of the party went ■was, neverthless, enlivened a little by the presence of one Mr. Richardson who had as he stated taken the Freethinkers at their own estimation and come to the conclusion that there could be no possible use in freethiaking unless it were also to be expressed in freespeaking, and who gave expression to his thoughts in a very un. restricted manner, indeed. Bat freespeaking being quite as much against the grain of secularists unless, like their peculiar f reethinking, it be done within certain well defined and extremely narrow bounds» they proceeded to silence Mr. Richardson who, nevertheless, did not prove wholly repressive, and continued at intervals all through the meeting to make awkard remarks. — 'The principal speaker on the seculaiist side was Mr. Thomas Walker — the same gentleman, we conclude, who, some years ago visited Dunedtn, where he spoke in trances as the spirits gave him utterance, and was particularly remarkable for the power of sustaining an abnormal turning-up of bis eyes. And Mr. "Walker was particularly indignant at the notion that the children of secularists are exposed in the public schools to be taught morality in some degree according to Christian methods and traditions, — there is indeed reason to suppose that he would prefer that children sholcl not be taught morality at lall .rather than see them so instructed in it — at least so ws gather from our observation of his sect generally. In particular Mr. Walker was most eloquent as to the enormity of teaching a child that to lie is to commit an offence against God and one that would deserve lo be punished in Hell. He maintains that the true view to take of a lie is that it is an injury to the liar and an offence against society, and, as for any idea that it should be punished, that is the merest nonsense. Little philosophers will be quite above being kept in order by any such notion as that of punishment, and a few lessons in the " code " can imbue Tommy •with the most perfect respect for his own dignity as well as with a complete regard for all Harry's rights and feelings. The genus boy has depths in it hitherto unsuspected, but which the " code " can reach to the uttermost, bringing to the surface all the perfections that lurk there. The " pickle " bids fair to be lost among the characters of the past and, as to the larrikin, his sphere is almost wholly at an end — if anything circular can be said to reach such a pomt — but cannot Freetbought square the circle itself, or at least pretend to do so, which iv Freetbinking quarters seems pretty much the same thing ? Mr. Thomas Walker, however, spoke about a lie as beautifully almost as if there really had been spirits connected with those trances and the trick of turning up the eyes had come to him supernaturally. Mr. Walker also, ia the course of his speech, made some contemp* tuous mention of superstition that was very fine, as coming from one formerly getting a living by spiritism. But did Mr. Walker find the turning up of his tyes injurious to him in the long-run, or did he become persuaded that, while he refrained from manifesting himself Vi proprha, persona to society, he was committing aa offence against

THE BIT.BB JUTTBX.

it 1 Forjm his own .acknowledgement we know that a spirit had never come near him.- Or mnßt the experience of a course of lying and its effects be the portion of all, those wlio are educated in accordance with the f '£ode," before they can be induced to act upon its teaching? Among the good results to follow from the introduction of the " code " into the schools, we find, again, that the ministers of the various religions teaching there would bo so frightened at the things taught to the children of secularists that they would withdraw altogether from the situation rather than afford an excuse for the admission of such teaching, and from this we learn that secularists are fully aware of the effects to be produced by the teaching of different religious systems among the same body of children — and the fact of their being aware of it should serve as a warning to those people who., are the advocates of such a system. — Secularists at least know what they are about.^ We also find that tkey protest against being robbed to support teaching to which, they object, and on which they look as superstitious. They, however, protest nowhere against enforcing a parallel obligation on other*people, but, on the contrary are tyrannous in their insistance that people who conscientiously abhor their secular system should be grievously plundered in order to support it. £he " code " evidently fails in teaching its professors and papils to do to others as they would be done by, or, if it does teach such a doctrine, perhaps it is as we have seen in the case of its injunctions respecting lying— only after a course of action in an exactly opposite direction that such professors and pupils will come to act upon the doctrine in question. In any case the time at which they will do so has not as yet come, and we greatly doubt as to whether it ever will. Meantime, it is in some degree amusing to find the biter bitten, and to listen for a short time, a very short time, to his whining over the pain of the bite. He makes a great and rather lugubrious uproar.

TEST POUNDS' WOBTH.

AIfSNG the free sentiments freely expressed by the not wholly repressible Mr. Richardson at the meeting in Sydney was the following : " You can do no wrong ; whatever is is right. Murder is right, etc' 1 This was an accusation that filled the truth-loving Mr. Thomas Walker with horror, and lie wentso far as to offer to pay £10 to the fundsof any of the hospitals or charitable institutions of Sydney, if only someone would produce a passage from the works of " recognised freethinkers " in support of it. We have no intention, however, of attempting to earn £10 for a Sydney charity. We should be sorry to oblige Mr. Walker to spend a sum of money he could not afford to spend, and we are convinced that no such lover of his species, friend of humanity, and advocate of the " code " would require any further inducement to make him give all the sums of money he could afford to the institutions of charity, Xor eball we stay to inquire what are the requiremements that go to make up the character of a " recognised freethinker," ;or whether the fact of a man's not being recognised would impose fetters upon his thought, or to what extent. What we are prepared to maintain is that there are certain principles laid down in the writings of some, at least, among the chief writers of the freethought-school which mignt very probably — and, may, it is quite possible, before very long — be interpreted as authorising what ordinary people would call murder — although what philosophers of the freethinking school may qualify by some other name, and, perhaps, attempt to justify. There is, for example, a passage in Mr. Herbert Spencer's Sociology, in which he takes Government to task for spending pains upon the preservation of those " who are leaßt able to take care of themselves," and the passage is capable of very unpleasant interpretation— positive murder, perhaps, it could not be made justify, but there are cases ia which murder may be negatively committed— to neglect to call for a doctor, for example, in a case of dangerous illness is to incur the guilt of manslaughter — and it is not difficult to picture situations in which neglect of those least able to take care of themselves would mean much more than even that. The care of those who arc least able to take care of themselves is that in which the beauty of Christian teaching has been made most plain to the world. Our Blessed Lord laid its obligation on r His disciples, who fulfilled it well, and ever since, ibeir successors have been faithful to it. From the earliest days the treasures of the Church were the poor. The monks of the East had hardly set up their institution in the desert before they established among them an

hospital, where the sick received their utmost care. The lives of the saints are the history of such a devotion. The old, the weak, the unfortunate, were those of whom, after God and for God, they were the servants— and the greatest minds who attained to heroic sanctity went forward towards it by means of their self-denying labours in the cause of those who were least able to take care of themselves. It is a doctrine that may well and worthily distinguish Freethought from Christianity that there is a fault, rather than a perfection, in being concerned about those who are the least able to take care of themselves, and it is a doctrine that may work a very great change in the affairs of men. We do not kuow whether it enters into the teaching of the " code," but if it does, and it be effectually promulgated among the masses, strange things, or what to old-fashioned people will appear strange things, may happen at no remote period. Much, indeed, will be spared by it to the public purse, much also to the resources of the private citizen, but what the effect of its adoption and practice upon, our humanity would be, is a thought we may well shrink from. It is, then, to be feared that Mr. Thomas Walker has been rash in his-defiance. No direct and positive injunction to murder may be found among the works oE " recognised Freethinkers," but it will not be altogether impossible, as we see, to quote from them arguments and doctrines that, being logically interpreted and consistently acted upon, would prove incentives to nothing less.

THE CHRISTIAN BROTHEBS.

The attack upon Christian education now being carried on, and the pretensions made in" support of it, that the Church has always enforced ignorance among the masses and that the infidel party were the first to resist, and to extend the blessings of education to the people, have met with various exposures even at non-Catholic bands —the latest that has come under our notice being a book on the Christian Brothers -written by an English lady, and the wife of an Anglican clergyman, named "Wilson. The authoress contradicts the assertion that the Church had enforced ignorance, and that infidels were the first to rise in rebellion against it, by contrasting with the views of Voltaire and his friend, La Chalotais, the sanction given by Pope Benedict XIII. to the institution of the Christian Brothers, and m which he condemned ignorance among the masses as a chief source of the evils that prevailed there. Voltaire, on the other hand, commenting as follows on the essay sent him in manuscript by La Chalotais, and in which the writer declared that the Brothers by instructing the children [of the lower classes "were working wholesale ruin. — ■" I think all your views are sound. lam thankful that you propose to forbid working-men to study. As an agriculturist myself, I beg that I may have labourers not clerks, you might send me some of those Freres Ignorantins to drive my ploughs or to draw them." But the passage in which the writer refers to this is worth quoting at length. " From the language sometimes used by the advocates of secular education, it might be supposed that all care for primary instruction had originated with them ; that up to their time the people had been left to grow up in ignorance ; that they had been the first to put books into the hands of the children of the poor. But history shows tbat long before the State dreamed of taking any concern in the matter, the Church had not only discussed it in in her synods and councils, and enforced Bttingent rules to secure the attention of her ministers to it, but she had also opened echools devised schemes of education, written books, drawn up rules) founded institutions, trained masters, and brought into active existence all the machinery of popular education, of which The secular party are now disposed to claim the credit. Indeed; it it is a noteworthy fact that, while the Church has been all along consistently upholding and working for the education of the people, it was the secularists of a hundred years ago who opposed it." Concerning the Brothers, of whom she especially treats, Mrs. Wilson speaks as follows .—" Of all European nations France has thu singular advantage of possessing in her midst a body of men— numbering over eleven thousand — who, at no expense or trouble to the State, have been trained with special care for the work of education ; and the end and object of whose lives is to educate, free of cost, the children of the poor ; men in whom self 'interest, ambition, the desire to advance themselves in the world, can have no "place ; for, once committed to this profession, they can never rise to anything higher ; men wbo ask for no pay, no remuneration of any kind, beyond being provided with the barest necessaries of life ; men whose scholars, when allowed to compete with others, carry all before them, not only in examinations in elementary knowledge, but also in the higher branches of education — music, drawing, mathematics, geometry, mechanics, natural science, etc.; men who are trusted and beloved by the people of France, and who have given the most striking proof that could be given of their- patriotism and devotion to their country. Such are the men whom the powers that be, at this present time, in France, would banish (if they could) from the country ; out of whose hands they would take (if tbey could), at an enormous cost to the nation, the education of the people. And. why ? They are not priests ; they are pledged never even to aspire to the

priesthood ; they are laymen, taken mostly from the ranks of the working classes. But they are, as their name declares, Christians; they are religious, and they teach religion in their schools ; their lives, their garb, their whole bearing witnesses to their faith in Christ. This is their crime; for this they are expelled, thwarted, plundered, persecuted. Can the infatuated blindness of anti-Chrietian intolerance, go further f " But what this lady writes of France may, with a few modifications, be applied to Catholic teaching and its opponents everywhere. Everywhere we have the secularist with his falsehood and presumption, his ungrounded and iusolent pretensions, and unscrupulous calumnies, and his tyranny, actual or would-be. We have the Catholic religious teacher, exceptionally qualified for the task to which he is devoted, and giving a constant proof that it is so in the fruits of his teaching.

THE SITUATION AND ITS STTJNNY SPOT.

At tbe moment at which we write appearances can hardly be said to be very deceptive, although nobody on earth can tell what they mean or portend. Nobody, however, is in the least likely to be taken in by them, or to place on them the slightest reliance. Things generally, in fact, so far as the government of the Colony is concerned, exhibit a state of topsy-turviness that is most bewildering, and out of which what issue there may be, if any at all, it is impossible to discern. Sir Julius, Yogel is labouring to form a Cabinet and several other people seem to be labouring in the exactly contrary direction— to thwart all his efforts to do so. Sir George Grey, we are told, has taken a studious turn for the time being, and sits occupied with his books in his apartments at Wellington— under suspicion, nevertheless, of keeping an eye on the situation, and being fully determined to play any cantrips that may seem to him the best calculated to out-wit or confuse Sir Julius, with whom 'fie boldly declared at once he would have nothing whatever to do — that is, of course, in a friendly way, for he will have as much as he can to do with him, as with anyone else who threatens to eclipse himself, in any other way possible. There are difficulties, moreover, as to the requirements and rights of the various provinces. A fit man cannot be found, for example, to represent Auckland in the Cabinet, and all that is forthcoming for the purpose so far is Mr. Cadman, of Coro» man<Jel, of whose calibre we may very fitly judge by the report spread and, although false we believe, generally received as true» that he was prepared to resign his seat in order that Mr. Sheehan, on his defeat at Napier,| might be elected to it. Mr. Tole also ha» been spoken of by someone or another as eligible for the vacant place, and if, indeed, he be chosen to fill it, there will be a proof furnished to some people that after all religion is really good for something. There may even be those who will be inclined to cultivate a little of it, under like circumstances, in order that they also may make a fair and profitable disposal of it, if the opportunity offers. And let us point out in passing, as a mere matter of spiritual speculation, how very little a soul can be made a mounting-block to high worldly positions. It is interesting to note anything that illustrates the superiority of spirit over matter. There is a difficulty, again, about the representation of Canterbury in the Cabinet, and it is doubtful as to whether an arrangement can be made by which a modifying Conservative element may be introduced into it by the appointment of Mr. Wakefield. There are besides several other peiplexities and difficulties, and it is, as we said, impossible at this moment, writing as we do on Tuesday, to say what may be the outcome of it all. There is, however, no situation, or at least hardly a situation in tbe world, where it is not possible to find some sunny patch or another, and the political situation of New Zealand at present seems no exception to the general rule.-The sun- light falls at present on the sheltering shoulders of Mr. Stout, and he shows out among the surrounding gloom like the tops of those volcanoes in the moon upoa which, as astronomers tell us, the sun -beams strike in advance. No* that in any other respect Mr. Stout is in the least degree to he compared to a volcano in the moon or to a played-out vomitory anywhere of dry dust that lies quiescent and completely removed from harm's way. The dry dust he is still calcnlated to kick up is infinite, and the mass of the moon is above his head rather than beneath his feet for if it were not, how should there be such abundant proofs that the moou-beams had struck so effectively upon his brain ? But the way in which Mr. Stout has accommodated himself to the situation is beautiful, and by far the most cheerful feature that has appeared in connection with it. It is sweet to contemplate the manner in which he allowed himself to be promoted to the premiership, and made as it were the figure-head behind which Sir Julius Vogel, concealing all bi s shortcoming is to restore the prosperity of the community, and insure their progress. The Vogel ministry conducted under the shadow of Mr, Stout must indeed prove a blessing to the country. We are told moreover, that Mr. Stout has promised to modify even his philosophy to meet the necessities of the case. He will allow his great theory of land nationalisation, which we know in a mind like his must rest on a deep philosophical basis, to lie aside, for the time being at least and he will otherwise have mercy on the needs of the Colony and clip the wing of genius to suit our necessarily Blower pace on many

points. But how comes it, nevertheless, that Mr. Stout seems to have forgotten the role of "grand pacificator," to which he pledged himself evenlvoluntarily on his election ? How can he afford to leave the arena at Wellington where the struggle is now -oing on, and where the chances of a compact ministry depend in a great degree upon tact, and wise dealing ? Or has Mr. Stout left behind him, to work wonders there, the shadow of his persuasive smile, or the echo of a philosophic whisper ? The patriotic leader, first of all, attends to the needs of his country, and is ready to sacrifice to them every private interest even the most dear and best beloved. How comes it, then, that Mr. Stout has found himself at liberty to remove his pacifying influence from the scene of action to Dunedin ? And must we expect that during his premiership, a considerable portion of the business of the Colony will be excogitated by him at sea, or on the railroad, as he goes continually back or forward 1 It is, however, fortunate that the matter rests in the hands of genius, and no expectation, therefore, that we can form of the results will prove extravagant. It is to be hoped, meantime, that the various conflict, ing interests may be reconciled, so that the already over-retarded business of the country may be proceeded with.

A PROMISING RUSH.

Devil's Kantoor is the promising name of a mining town in South Africa concerning which and its neighbourhood we have found a little news in a contemporary. The news, however, is not parti, cularly tempting, and we do not think on the whole, there is much danger of our sending many diggers away from New Zealand by alluding to it Devil's Kantoor, then, is situated in the neighbourhood of Moodie's Reef, and Moodic's Reef is the new rush in the Transvaal concerning which we lately saw some very big statements, and where according to certain reports, lumps of gold as big as broadbeans could be picked out of quartz, that stuck up all over the country-side, with the fingers. Moodies' Reef, however, seems a rush by no means easy to reach and we -are told of one portion of the road in particular which is so steep that 14 bullocks are needed to pull up it a Scotch cart containing a laid of considerably under halfa ton. There seems however, to be some scope in the district for people who are fond of the picturesque, and from one hill in particular, we are told, there may be commanded a view of a tract of country noted for its game— lions, and leopards and such interesting objects of sport no doubt, as well as snakes, o£ which one that was seen on the way to the Reef measured, says the writer, as much in girth as "the pot-lid." We are not told as to whether the diggers divert themselves by the chase or not but probably in a country where, while a man is hunting one species of animal, an animal or even two or three animals of some other Bpecies may be hunting him, discretion is considered the better part of valour. — The diggers nevertheless, all carry revolvers and knives— which, moreover, they seem to carry merely for ornament, as the writer says they are never used. But when men are fod on mealie meal porridge or" " pap," as we are lold thry call it — it is quite easy to conceive how they miy not feel themselves quite in the spirits necessary for a profitable use of firearm". To get up even the smallest row on fare like that, it would need a Jire-eater indeed. We can quite understand, again, how men working on such diet, under a South African sun, have the sweat pouring into their eyes and mouths and down their noses as the digger who writes say 3he had— and the mealie meal to boot costs £3 6s a bag. Another matter, saving your presence good reader, that" may peem provocative of sweat. Besides all this, there ii a fever season to be encountered — and, although when the digger who writes to our contemporary arrived, the season was reported to be over for the year he found that it could still extend its skirts to some degree, for two men had sickenpd afterwards of whom one at least was not expected to recover. After a week's bard work again, the writer and his two companions had managed to get li dwt., of gold whose value was something about 5s 3d. He acknowledges however, that some men on the field make as much as £7 a week, but that is earned by Ihe help oE a Scotch cart and four "bovß," that is, as we suppose, Kaffirs, or natives of some kind or another.— On the whole, then, the riches of this new rush in the Transvaal are not quite apparent, but the hardships to be encountered there are very evident, and such as a sensible man would think a errest many titnes before he wonW run the risk of enduring. Devil's Knntoor is a suggestive name. — and there is some reason to suspect, that the whole neighbourhood may deserve a somewhat similar one.

A COMMEMORATION was held the other day at St. A CATHOLTC MaTys City, Maryland, of the foundation of the ANKIVBBSARY. Colony two hundred and fifty years ago. The persons who met together for the celebration were Catholics, who desired more especially to commemorate the establishment 'of perfect religious freedom, established first by Catholics on the American Continent, and simultaneously with the foundation of the Colony in question by Lord Baltimore in 1634, Not that it has not beea attempted to deny this fact, or to

give the honour of it to Protestants, who formed the majority in the Parliament of the Colony in 1649, when the proclamation of religious freedom that had been made at first was confirmed by aa Act-which, by the way, was afterwards set aside by the Protestant majority's placmg under penalties the Catholic founders of the Colony, who had introduced religious freedom as their first institution. The law however, thus perverted was not brought into usage ; and Maryland continued virtually the abode of toleration. It is, moreover, stated that the act of toleration, by means of whatever majority it may have been carried, had been drafted by a Jesnit, and it is at least certain that the statement of it's having been based on Puritan philosophy is false, for nothing ever came of the philosophy in question but a narrow tyranny and in no place more than the Puritan settlements of America had that philosophy manifested itself in an intolerant manner. But what proves that religious freedom had been established in Maryland by the Catholic pioneers is the certainty that, although there is no direct record remaining of the proclamation of toleration made, the records remain of a case in which a certain man was punished for infringing the public proclamation by speaking ill of Protestant ministers generally, for which he was, moreover, somewhat severely punished, be having been found guilty of « offensive speeches and unreasonable disputations in point of religion contrary to a public proclamation to prohibit ail such disputes." An oath, again, taken by tlie chief public officer of the province obliged him to cause no trouble to any man on account of his religion, to take nothing of the kind into consideration when making appointments, and to punish any man who injured another because of his creed. All this, which is known to kave taken place during the first years of the settlement, and long before tb.« Act which Protestants have questioned was passed, conclusively proves that toleration originated with the Catholics, and that they were the men who introduced it into the New World. Another happy feature in the settlement of Maryland was the treatment given by the settlers to the Indian tribes there,, and which resulted in winning their friendship for the white men. ' The religion of the white men also obtained a hold upon them, and they became in large numbers converts to the Church. On the whole, then, there was a good deal for Maryland Catholics to look back upon with pleasare in the celebratiou they made of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of their province, and many reflections may be made generally \n connection with it, calculated to give to naturally fair-minded men a view of Catholic matters very different from that with which even they are not uncommonly imbued.

" OUT OV THE BAT E B CAMI FORTH MEAT."

It would seem that the attempts made to stir up the English masses to take vengeance on the Irish J people in England for the dynamite outrages, of which, for by far the most part, those people know nothing: and have but little sympathy or approval, are not likely fo prove effectual. It would seem, in short, according to a correspondent of one of the London newspapers, who professes to have full information «n th c subject, that, on the contrary, there is a pood deal of sympathy felt among the English masses, if not for the sause of Ireland, in which it is pretended that the outrages are committed, at least for that which may well be acknowledged on all sides to be much worse— that is, the cause of the people viewed from the standing-point of the Communist and Nihilist. The masses, indeed, as we are told, Tecognise' that for every evil there must be some source, and they are ready to acknowledge that the ill-treatment measured out to Ireland in the past may reasonably account for the anger that manifests itself in the destruction of monuments and buildings. They are even ready to demand that the grounds for such manifestations may be removed by granting to the Irish people the concessions which it is believed— rightly or wrongly, and wrongly as we believe,— would put a slop to the malpractices referred to.-— Their principal leason, however, for looking upon the matter with something like approval is tbar, by means of these outrages, the power of the people over the ruling classes and owners of property is made, evident, and the doctrines now commonly taught among them by French and German Socialists receive a striking illustration* Every fresh explosion, in fact, which takes place in London is a welcome proof to the English democrat of the force of the weapon he holds in his own hands also, to be used whenever it may suit hit purpose, and he is willing to pay what he looks npon as the comparatively small price of such destruction of life or property as may bring it fully home to the hearts of those whom he regards as his oppressors that the day of their power is drawing towards ita close, and that the people who arc possessed of a strength against which nothing can stand if it be used and who are daily being made better acquainted with their power, and more persuasively urged to employ it, must be accorded a consideration that, so far, has been withheld from then> The case, in fact, as stated by the correspondent to whom we alludo, and -who writes with the tone of conviction, and argues his point very forcibly, would seem to afford grounds to suspect that, even if some of the London outrages were the work of Irishmen or Irish,

Americans others of them may probably have originated with the very people who have been oalJed upon to punish the Irish, innocent and guilty alike, with an indiscriminate cruelty. Apart, however* from any consideration of the implication of the Irish people in these outrages, or the question as to how far the concession of the fullest measure of her rights to Ireland, would serve to check the party that in America is interested to promote violence of this kind, or, at least, the pretence of it — a matter that may be looked upon as very doubtful, so that we should be inclined to advise, in this respect, that reliance may rather be placed upon the strong hand and the vigilant eye, than on any measures of conciliation — it is evident that a very serious aspect of English affairs has been placed before the public. To find such a mind among the masses, and growing there under the pernicious instruction of foreign Socialists, is a danger that may well seem more formidable to the iuteefrity of the empire than anything that the utmost manifestation of Irish discontent could prove to be ; for if, while every care is being bestowed upon preserving the interests of the kingdom— or what are supposed to be its interests, without, the foundations of society within its limits are being undermined, it is evident that attention is diverted ' ftrora its proper channel, and that destruction must certainly ensue. What Imight, then, much better form a ground for conciliation, if plain justice in itself will not avail, as, indeed, we have now had abundant proof it will not — would be, not the need of putting an end to outrages, which, whatever may have been the remote sources in which they originated, are the work of abandoned men whom nothing could conciliate, but the need to strengthen the empire against the evil that threatens it from within its very core, aad to make a wise provision in the goodwill, and assured loyalty of Ireland against the Nihilistic leaven that lias already spread so widely among the English masses. It is not without its suggestiveness, meantime, to find that it is the very disaffection and tendency towards lawlessness of the "English masses that probably preserves innocent Irishmen in England from the violence that it was sought ia many very praise, worthy, law-abiding quaiters to arouse against them. Verily, as the old saying goes, it is an ill wind that blows nobody good.