Home Rule or Not by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jun 17, 1886

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 23.

Home Rule or Not.

By Editor

HOME RULE for Ireland is, and has been for some time, the leading topic throughout Great Britain and Ireland. Gladstone's Home Rule bill has been defeated, and a new Parliament is to be chosen solely upon this question. Ireland itself is seriously divided upon the question. The Catholics are in the vast majority in Ireland, yet there are, especially in the northern part, a great many Protestants. These Protestants are Orangemen and Presbyterians. While the Home Rule bill was pending in Parliament, these Protestants threatened that if it passed they would resort to arms, and it was reported that they were actually arming. This, of course, was all to be in self-defense, as it was argued, if the bill should pass, Ireland would be governed by the majority, and as the majority are Catholics, Protestants would not be safe, and therefore they must be prepared to defend themselves.

But the bill did not pass. And so the Protestants who thought themselves devoted are yet safe. Yes, the Protestants are safe, but the Catholics are not. Ever since the defeat of the bill, now nearly a week, the Protestants in that part of Ireland have been mobbing the Catholics, chasing them from their houses, destroying their property, burning their houses, and hunting them for their lives. So, then, it appears that in the event of the success of the Home Rule bill the Protestants were going to defend themselves; but as the bill was defeated they propose to kill the Catholics! Now we should like to know what these poor, gentle Protestants would have done had the bill passed? If they thus express their gratification at the defeat of the bill, how would they have expressed their displeasure at its success? If such is the effect of their joy, what would have been the effect of their anger? As the matter stands now, we cannot see where the Protestants would have been in any greater danger with Home Rule than the Catholics are without it.