MR. J. STUART MILL ...For the first time the
discontent in Ireland rests on a background of
several millions of Irish across the Atlantic.
This is a fact which is not likely to diminish.
The number of Irish in America is constantly
increasing. Their power to influence the political
conduct of the United States is increasing, and
will daily increase; and is there any probability
that the American-Irish will come to hate this
country less than they do at the present moment?
The noble Lord the Chief Secretary for Ireland
said truly that many Irish go to our colonies, and
that they remain loyal. But why? The Irish who go
to those colonies find everything they seek in
vain here. They have the land - they have no
sectarian church; they have even a separate
Legislature. All this they have under the British
Crown and the British flag. If you gave all this to
Ireland the people would be tranquil enough there.
They will be so with much less than that; but those
who go to America, on the contrary, will be loyal
only to the American Government, while their
feeling towards England is, and must be, directly
opposite to that of the Irish who go to Australia
and the other English Colonies. That is one most
serious cause of danger in Ireland. Another is that
the disaffection has become more than at any former
period one of nationality. The Irish were taught
that feeling by Englishmen. England has only even
professed to treat the Irish people as part of the
same nation with ourselves since 1800.
