MR. J E. REDMOND'S LETTER.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XIV, Issue 35, 24 December 1886, Page 3

MR. J E. REDMOND'S LETTER.

London, October 29, 1886. The event of the day is the decision of the eltction Judges in the case of the Deny petition. Mr Justin McCarthy has obtained the ■eat and we have once more established onr supremacy in Ulster. The defeats which we experienced in South Derry County and in South Tyrone hare been more than compensated for by the victories in Belfast and Derry City. In both of these cases we won, lam happy to say by the aid of Protestant votes, and henceforth it will be difficult indeed for Mr Chamberlain to maintain his assertion that Ireland is composed of two nations, or that the non-Catholic population is opposed to Home Rule. The capture of Derry is a heavy blow to the Orange faction. The maiden city, has long been regarded as the centre and the citadel of their power. It is a strange old world kind of town, quaint and ancient in appearance, with a perfect set of walls and fortifications, and with a memorable history. The siege of Derry during the brief Catholic ascendancy under James 11. was one of the most notable in history. The heroic constancy of the defenders of the city, who held it for 105 days, and though almost famished, refused j to surrender, has been the theme of the admiration of succeeding generations of Protestants and Catholics alike ; though the memory of this incident has been used by the Orangemen of to-day to inspire their followers to deeds of religious intolerance and sectarian hatred, the Catholics have never attempted nor desired to deminish tbe renown of Governor Walker and his comrades who held Derry in bygone days. From that day to this Derry has remained the stronghold of Protestantism in Ulster. With pardonable pride the walls have been kept in thorough repair. " Roaring Meg," and the other celebrated guns are still mounted in position, and at one spot a stately column has been erected to the memory of Walker. The defence of Derry against the invasion of the troops of James has been imitated ever Bince in a petty way, by the exclusion of Catholics from positions of importance or of honour within the city. To-day, no single Catholic Church stands within the walls, but as the city of the present spreads far beyond the fortifications in every direction, this can scarcely be called a practical grievance, though it shows clearly enough the intolerant spirit of the dominant class, Tbe idea of Derry being represented in Parliament by a Catholic a year or two ago was considered too preposterous to be entertained for~a moment, and though the reduction of the franchise gave the Catholics a fair chance; it did not give them a majority on the register, and consequently the Orange faction considered the Borough secure. They did not, however, make allowance for the revival of nationalism amongst the Protestant population which has been rapidly going on for some time in Ireland, and which in the case of Derry has at last trrned the scale. Mr. Justin McCarthy has not been elected as a Catholic, but as a Home Rulei. The fact of his being a Catholic, however, makes the victory all the more striking. Mr Charles E. Lewis departs from the House of Commons " unwept, unhonoured and unsung." It is safe to say that no more iinpopular man with all parties ever sat at Westminster. He is an Englishman and a London solicitor, whose sole connection with Ireland was that of being member for Derry. As a professional man he goes by the name of " tbe Tricker," a title which sufficiently explains itself. As a Member of Parliament he made himself unusually disagreeable. Mr. Sexton a few weeks ago, in discussing the riots which attended the result of the Derry election last July, and commenting on the violent action and language of Mr. Lewis, said tbat, if that gentleman had upon that occasion received a knock on the bead from a policeman's baton, or a prick between the ribs from a bayonet, the public verdict would have been " served him right." The loud and general cheers, even from the Tory benches, which greeted this sally, showed conclusively the position Mr. Lewis occupied in the regard of his colleagues, and I think there will be general jubilation at what is likely to prove his permanent dismissal from public life This decision in Derry will render one of the seats for Longford vacant, as it will be remembered Mr. McCarthy was elected without opposition for that county. There are therefore three seats now vacant in Ireland, Longford, Sligo which Mr. Sexton holds in addition to Belfast and North-East Cork, from wkich Mr. E. Leamy much to the regret of his colleagues, has just retired. Two of these seats will be required for Mr. William O'Brien, and Mr. T. M. Healy> both of whom will return to Parliament in February. The third will in all probability be given to one of our Uliter Protestant friends

who are every day taking a more prominent part in the nationa straggle. The Protestant Home Rule Association is rapidly spreading. In Dublin it numbers in its ranks some of the best-known Protestants of the city, including men like the Rev. J. A. Galbraith , D.D., Senior Fellow of Trinity College, and Professor Swift MacNeil. A most useful function is being undertaken by this Association, namely, supplying lecturers to English meetings to there discusg the historical aspects of the Home Rule question. If once Englishmen really grasped what Mr. Gladstone has called " the black, guardism and baseness of the Union," the day of our triumph would not be far distant. Unfortunately Englishmen as a rale, know absolutely nothing of Irish history, and the work of education in Great Britain must necessarily be a slow one.

The Convention of the Irish National League of Great Britain will assemble in Liverpool on November 6. The year has been indeed, a busy one. Two general elections have been fought within the twelve months. The record of progress which the Executive are enabled to lay before the delegates is cheering indeed. The organisation now numbers 423 branches. Its income has risen considerably. In 1884 the annual receipts amounted to £319, for the year 1885 they ammounted to £1,162, and for the year just completed they amounted to £2,324. In the year 23,000 new members were added to the list of membership. The report of the administration,af ter alluding to the attempt made to under-estimate the importance of the Irish vote in Great Britain, says :— " The best answer to such statements will be increase the efficiency of the organisation. The adoption by Eng. land's greatest statesman and by the Liberal Party of the policy of Home Rule has removed the unpleasant relations which at one time existed between the organisation and the Liberal Party. Irishmen » whose sympathies are strongly with democratic and progressive opinions,rejoice as much as can British Liberals at this changed state of relatioHß, and trust that the combination of the democratic forces of all nationalities in England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales may continue. In common with every Irish organisation in the world the National League of Gleat Britain acknowledge the imperishable debt of gratitude it owes to the eminent and noble statesman, who sacrificed power, and risked popularity in tbe effort to do justice to Ireland ; and who, during the last election, worked with the most self -sacrificing energy for the good cause. The executive also desire to join the rest of the Irish race in thankful acknowledgement of the splendid spirit in which the working classes of England, Scotland, and Wales stood by the Liberal leader in his policy of justice and reconciliation ; and to Scotland and Wales they feel an especial gratitude is due, for the emphasis with which they declared in favour of justice to Ireland. These acts have done much to Boften the asperities and the bitter memories of the Irish struggle, and will have an idestructible influence in bringing about peace between the people of Great Britain and Ireland." The .following resolutions also will be proposed for adoption :— " That this Convention of the Delegates of the Irish National League of Great Britain, representing two millions of the Irish race in England and Scotland, expresses its profound gratitude to their kindred in America and and Australia for the generous support they have given to the liiah cause; that thanks are at the same time offered to Americans and Australians of other than Irish birth, whose sympathies with freedom have ranged them on the Irish side ; and that the Press of all shades of opinion in America has largely contributed to the growth of opinion in favour of Ireland by the eloquence and unanimity with which it has backed up Irelaad'a claim for self-government." " That this Convention joins the rest of the Irish race in offering to Mr. Gladstone its fervent thanks for the self-sacrifice, energy, and eloquence, with which he has pleadei the cause of Ireland ; that his attempt to solve the Irish question will give him a place in tbe Irish heart for all time, and that it is the earnest prayer of every member of this Convention that he may live to see the fruits of his labours in a self-governed, contented, and prosperous Ireland." "That this Convention re-affirms its complete confidence in the leadership of Mr. Parnell and the Irish Parliamentary Party, and pledges itself to stand by them, till they bare won the legislative independence of Ireland." This is the season of conventions. This week the Delegates of all the Tory organisations of Great Britain assembled at Bradford, and, as is usual now in Conservative gatherings, Lord Randolph Churchill was the hero of the occasion. Nothing is more remarkable than tbe manner in which the leader of the socalled Tory Democracy has mounted to the very top of the political ladder. Nominally, Lord Salisbury is Premier, but in reality Lord Randolph Churchill is Prime Minister, Cabinet, Privy Council, and Government all rolled into one. He absolutely leads the Tory Party by the nose, but as he had led them into office, they dont seem to object to operation. Rumour says Lord Salisbury is getting somewhat weary of political life, and that the next " sensation " will probably be hiß retirement in favour of Lord Randolph. Ireland has no reason to object. If the Tory Party must be in office at all, then manifestly it is well to have at the head of affairs a statesman who has abundantly proved that he has no very fixed principles and that he can be •queezable where occasion arises. In his Bradford speech Lor

Randolph made some notable statements about Ireland. He said " rents are being fairly paid all over the country, and large and liberal redactions of rent have been made by the landlords." In another part of the same speech he said '* there has been a marked decrease of crime and outrage in Ireland and the returns of crime for the last month have been lower than for the last five years." This happy result depends upon the action of the landlords. Where they allow reasonable redactions, the tenants will pay readily enough, and where no agarian trouble exists crime will disappear. If the Government can induce landlords all during the winter to make abatements, the peace will be preserved. If evictions recom. mence, crime will recommence too. There is good reason, lam glad to say, to hope that with isolated exceptions, Ireland will enjoy a peaceful winter after all, for whi^h blessing we may thank the determination of the tenants who showed clearly that if the landlords attempted to exact the full rents they would get none at all. .1. E. Redmond.