Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 April 1887 — FOREIGN. [ARTICLE]

FOREIGN.

In the debate in the British Parliament on the Irish criminal law amendment Mr. Gladstone vehemently denounced the measure as one calculated to aggravate existing disorders. “With this coercion bill,” exclaimed Mr. Gladstone, “the prospect of conciliation vanished into tliin air. Thi Government intends to exclude the lan 1 bill, which was the main recommendation of the commission which has just completed an exhaustive investigation of the Irish troubles. Nothin" remains but the figure of coercion—bare, baid, and gaunt—alas, too familiar I The right honorable Chief fcocletary for Ireland has attempted to excuse the proposals on the ground that crime in Ireland during tho last three ye. s has increased, but he followed an unusual course in refraining from giviDg the House official information proving his allegations. Statistics from Ireland are againt the Government. Take tho instance given of threatening letters. In 1385 432 such letters were received. In iBB6 but seventy-five more were received. That hardly furnished ground for asking i'afliameut to assent to un extreme measure of coercion. Other classes of crime amounted in 18 5 to jl2, and in 1806 to 617. This increase is described as the main reason for the extreme demands of the Government. If Mr. Balfour has further private information let him speak.” It -•■•is the first time he (Mr. Gladßtonoj knew of anonymous assertions being imposod on Parliament in support of a demand for legislation Among the most insulting and exasperating proposals of tho bib—the worst over submitted to Parliament was the provision that irish trials be held in London. The Government could devise nothing more likely to ug; ravate every existing e\ il As to the pennantnt deration of ihe bili, tne’proposal made one s blood boil. To establish what was formerly only a temporary remedy as a permanent rule would put the brand of inferiority upon In land forever and recognizing as a fixed principle that force was a rouiedv.

The British House of Commons on the Ist in t passed cloture by a vote of 361 to 253, aud agreed upon the first reading of the coercion bill. Mr. r .rnell made a brilliant speech in o> pos t o i to the latter moa ure. No part of the previous coercion acts, said he, ever excited so much distrust of English justice as the proposal for a change of venue of trials to Iring Irishmen before special English juries. The proposal m ans a reign ot judicial murder. If meant that all hopes of b tter times which seemed d wrung upon Ireland would disappear. What was The only s ate of society that could arise under this reign of terror? Secret socie ties would spring up, lostered by the sufferings of an oppressed nation, and those who had been persisten in couns dii.g the people to observe patience and moderation link:lit i ouns -1 in vain, lint he would still counsel them to sub,>.it to justice rather than retaliate or do anything that might drive Gladstone from their’s ike,"or increase his difficulties, or place him in a false position with the Liberals. Their battle was now won in Ir‘land. | Cheers. There might be some s String and much tyranny yet to he en ured, but they would bo us u thing compared with what the Irish people had. gone thro.i h in tne past. . A little waiting and t e ot rpity i roposed for this bill wouid dfsu} pear I efore a brighter time, when Gladstone would be aide to appeal once more to the s nse and iustice of the people of Great Brit tin and receive full power to do right to Ireland. (Cheers. ! The party which alone could gain by the people of reinn l going beyond the law was the prosent Government. That was the reason this bill had been brought forwuri. Its object was to s’rengthen the Government’s own miserablrt position. I,et not the people of Ireland fall in*o the toils thus se fort em In St. Petersburg, while the Czar was exercising in iho p .rk connecter with tue Gatshma Palace, he was shot at by an army offlb r, the bul et passing cl se to his per-on. A cable dispatch from London contradicts a report th.t ex-Seeret ry of the Treasury Manning’s health is worse since his ocean voyage than before he left home. His health has greatly improved sinoe his arrival on the other side.