Correspondence.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXII, Issue 16, 16 August 1895, Page 19

Correspondence.

[We »ro not responsible for the opinions expressed by our Correspondents.] THE SITUATION IN IRELAND. TO THE EDITOB N.Z. TABLET. Bir,— The result of the Imperial Parliamentary general elections does not contain much upon which Irishmen might be congratulated. Every true lover of Ireland, every honest Home Ruler, must hold in supreme contempt and brand with his indignation all and everything that has been instrumental in bringing about that result, With regard to the question of Home Rule two points for practical consideration cannot be lost sight of, these are, first t u e vast Conservative majority, and secondly, more vast still in their consequences, the lamentable dissensions among the Irish Party. As to the first no one will attempt to minimise the seriousness of its effect upon the Irish National struggle, one cannot close his eyes to tbe meaning of tbe sadden and decisive change of political feeling

amongst the English democracy. However great this difficulty ia there is consolation in the fact that greater obstacles and difficulties more serious in their nature have been overcome by the Irish people in their fight for national independence. What Ireland has done before she is fully prepared to do again until her sacred rights are duly acknowledged and respected, until her national aspirations are completely satisfied. Bat there is one great hereditary enemy of Ireland, one great difficulty that has not been yet overcome— the evil of dissension. Dissension always has been, and ia to-day Ireland's bittereat and most malignant enemy, an enemy that almost invariably appears shrouded in the cloak of patriotism, in which circumstance consists its chief malice. The proverbial " Kilkenny cats " never fought with more vigorous determination to destroy each other than the Irish Parliamentary representatives of to-day. Just at the time whan we were wi hin measurable distance of the promised land, at the very dawn of political freedom the historic enemy reappears in its vicious capacity of blasting the hopes of oar suffering country. It is deplorable in the extreme that a people so faithful, «o loyal and genercus, s&ould to at the mercy of a gang of factious politicians, the greater number of whom, trading upon public confidence, care very little about the real interests of those whom in honour and justice they are bound to represeut. What a political farce they are making of a cause which ought to be as dear to them as life itself, and that to the infinite delectation and comfort of their deadly foes . For the past three or four years at least, they have been simply representing their own personal grievances, aad have monopolised tbe public Press to parade before a suffering people their own petty jealousies, They may be go:d politicians, they are not patriots. There will not ba much harshness found in the statement that among the Irish Memberß of Parliament the number of patriots is very limited. Politics in our day ara too practical for patriots. We find men styled patriotic who are eaten up with selfishness, and intoxicated with blind personal amb ; tion. They are the enemies of the Irish movement, as they are the pest of every society. Their own glory ia the idol of their lives— an idol worthy of all sacrifice. Tbe almighty and all-absorbing self is tha great landmark that directs their course through life. They see it reflected in every undertaking they are called upon to engage in. It is aingul ir, too, that thoie so-called lovera of their c inntry are loud in disclaiming unworthy motives in their political aotionß. What hypocrisy I

What else sußtainstho differences that , have-broughbjaboutidivi-Bion"s7a^;fub r dTvl B ipns;in;she rlnshr Insh- rank|?-^ :~~7 T "^7"^" ' ni ,W,pnld there nofbe a ..thousand times more flatiflfac^ooin^fighting, an eneniy.thatiwpnid Bt'yike.put from'the^stioulderVwith'out eyen'lbeing, able'. to, Rive thVreaabn.wh^ ? v -",;„' t - { w J b . R i t^ ' q '1n,;,-,.,,,I n ' , ; ,-, . , , , _Th.ere is now,^ueßtion ri in Ireland of holding a Grand Rational Convention, in order to flettie, all disputes, stay the r evii^c'ourse cf dis-, sension, and purify tbe Irish political atmosphere,. , c j, /( |. , Whatever course they adopt, one thing is quite palpable, \ and, that, is that eqme purifying proceßs.. is absolutely and indispensably neoesßary, . t What is the du'y of Irishman ia,!Tew Zealand? .This is the practical question, and the answer, is': Point out to these gentlemen their shameful conduct, or more correctly, reprimand them for it, and leave them severely alone until peace ia restored, and everything in working order. This had been the policy df the . *te patriotic and venerable Bishop of Danedin,' and who will doubt i wisdom? Ia the meantime, let the poet express our feeling for our land of sorrows— „!!,,, - " Land of sunniest skieß Our love grows the more for thy gloom, Oar hearts by the saddest of ties Cling closest to thee in tby doom." —I am, etc, , Tippjetia.bt.