THE FRUITS OF MR. GLADSTONE'S IRISH POLICY.
(TO THE EDITOR OF THR "SPECTATOR.")
your article of the 6th inst., on "The Political Strength of Dissent," you say that "even in Ireland the experiment [of religious impartiality], however just, has not apparently been fruitful of the results hoped for." May I ask what result you or any other reasonable man hoped for? Did you hope to recon- cile the irreconcilable ; to conciliate those to whom political agitation is an exciting amusement or a gainful trade? If
so, you have of course been disappointed ; and you have been dis- appointed if you hoped that justice would at once cure that unbelief in justice which centuries of injustice have produced. But all reasonable expectations, Lord Dunsany's speech notwith- standing, are in course of realisation. It was feared by some—by me among others—that the Orangemen would be alienated from their allegiance by the Church Act. There is not the slightest sign of this ; on the contrary, they have taken their defeat on the Church Act almost with indifference, and appear to think far more of their victory in the repeal of the Act prohibiting party processions. The old curse of Ireland, sectarian rancour, has not increased ; indeed I think, though I do not like to say anything positively four days before the greatbrange anniversary, that it has sensibly diminished.
The "failure of Mr. Gladstone's Irish policy," so much insisted on by Tories and Fenians alike, is simply not a fact. Ireland is in most respects improving, though slowly ; and though, of course, many legislative improvements are needed here as well as in England, yet in the way of political reconstruction all we need is, first to receive from the Legislature the best system of public education we are capable of receiving, instead of the mass of inconsistent principle and dishonest practice dignified by the name of the National system of education ; and after that, to be judiciously and energetically let alone.—I am, Sir, &c., JOSEPH JOHN MURPHY.
Old Forge, Dunmurry, County Antrim, July 8, 1872.
[We have no doubt, and indeed ourselves believed as we wrote, that our correspondent's view is right, but there can be no question that the attitude of Ireland since Mr. Gladstone's great measures were carried has disappointed our perhaps unreasonable hopes.— ED. Spectator.]
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