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Home rule and the general election of 1874 in Ireland
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 July 2016
Extract
Although the liberal government returned in 1868 took serious steps to reconcile dissatisfied Irish opinion by disestablishing the Irish church, passing a land act, and introducing an Irish university bill, Ireland, at the beginning of 1874; was far from being contented. The land act had made it more difficult and expensive to evict a tenant, and recognised the principle of compensation for improvements, but was considered by the tenant righters as only an instalment of their claims for ‘ fixity of tenure, fair rents, and free sale ‘ By disestablishing the Protestant episcopalian church, Gladstone pleased the Catholic clergy and those Catholics who considered the existence of the established church a galling insult, but it antagonized a good portion of Protestant opinion. The Catholic bishops were dissatisfied with the university bill and severely criticised its provisions; this influenced the majority of the Irish liberal M.P.s, who voted against the second reading. These votes helped to defeat the bill, a defeat that heralded the downfall of the liberal government.
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References
1 A contemporary analysed the Irish liberal vote as follows : for the bill, 15 (11 Protestant, 4 Catholic); against 35 (9 Protestant, 26 Catholic); absent 9 (5 Protestant, 4 Catholic). The Times, 15 Mar. 1873. This list omits 35 conservatives, all Protestants (against 28, absent 7), and 6 home rulers (against 4, and absent 2—of whom there was one Protestant on each side). Some three vacancies complete the Irish membership.
2 Under the patronage of Cardinal Cullen there was established a Catholic Union to secure parliamentary support for denominational education. Some Irish liberal M.P.s joined it, and the Freeman's Journal gave it publicity Some of the early home rulers, however, and Archbishop MacHale, regarded this as hostile to their movement. William J O'Neill Daunt considered it as an attempt to uphold Gladstone and frustrate home rule; O'Neill Daunt papers (N.L.I., MS. 3041) Journal, 7 Sept. 1873. John Martin to Daunt, 11 June 1870 (N.L.I., MS. 8047). Mitchell Henry to Isaac Butt, 16 Sept. 1875; Butt papers (N.L.I., MSS.). Perhaps Daunt, like C. Gavan Duffy, was a little conspiracy-conscious (cf. Duffy, My life in two hemispheres, ii. 365).
3 O'Neill Daunt, W. J., Eighty-five years of Irish history, ii. 187 ff.Google Scholar
4 According to Daunt, Cardinal Cullen's opposition to the Home Government Association caused the priests of his diocese to stand aloof from the movement. Only two, he says, joined and one of these later withdrew. (O'Neill Daunt, Journal, 28 Apr. 1873. Cf. entries of 3 Apr., 15 July 1870 and 23 Mar. 1873.)
5 Some of the credit for reconciling the lower clergy and the home rule movement belongs to O'Neill Daunt, who made this one of his principal tasks as secretary to the Home Government Association. (John Martin to O'Neill Daunt, Daunt Papers, 6 July 1873.)
6 The men elected in these contests were: Joseph Ronayne (Cork city), John Martin (Meath), P. J. Smyth (Westmeath), Rowland P. Blennerhassett (Kerry), and Isaac Butt (Limerick city).
7 Rowland P. Blennerhassett was a Protestant home ruler, but with the aid of the Kerry priests and the Home Government Association he was able to defeat the Catholic liberal, James Dease, who was supported by the Catholic bishop, Dr David Moriarty. Judge Keogh's decision in Galway gave the seat to the conservative candidate, Captain William Le Poer Trench, even though the home ruler, Captain John Nolan, received over four times the number of votes given to Trench.
8 Final Report of the Council of the Home Government Association presented to a meeting of the association held in the Ancient Concert Rooms, Dublin, 16 December 1873. In Proceedings of the Home Rule Conference held at the Rotunda, Dublin, 18-21 November 1873, with a list of conference ticket holders, index to subjects treated of in the debates, constitution and laws of the Home Rule League and final report of the Home Government Association (Dublin, 1874, Irish Home Rule League), p. 212. Sullivan, A. M., New Ireland, pp. 381 ff.Google Scholar
9 ’ Resolutions of the National Conference ‘ in Proceedings of the Home Rule Conference, pp. 201 ff.
10 Nation, 24 Jan. 1874.
11 Freeman's Journal, 26 Jan. 1874.
12 Belfast News Letter, 26 Jan. 1874.
13 The information on the general elections of 1865, 1868, and the by-elections following the general election of 1874 is taken from Thorns Irish Almanac and Directory, 1866, 1869 and 1874.
14 McMahon, , although not successful, polled 2,105 votes. Thom's Directory, supplement, 1874, p. 41.Google Scholar
15 This information is compiled from an analysis of election addresses and speeches reported in the Belfast News Letter, Londonderry Standard, Northern Whig, Newry Telegraph, Downpatrick Recorder, and Ulster Examiner, from the dissolution to the close of the elections. The Ulster candidates who indicated a willingness to vote for some form of local government board in Ireland were : Hamilton (Tyrone), Hamilton (Donegal), Connolly (Donegal), Shirley (Monaghan), Crichton (Enniskillen), conservatives; Whitworth (Newry), McLure (Belfast), liberals.
16 Northern Whig, 28 Jan. 1874. Londonderry Standard, 11 Feb. 1874.
17 Ulster Examiner, 2 Feb. 1874. Londonderry Standard, 31 Jan., 4 Feb. 1874.
18 Ulster Examiner, 29 Jan. 1874. Northern Whig, 6 Feb. 1874.
19 The Londonderry Standard was the leading Ulster tenant right journal; the Northern Whig was the liberal paper with the largest circulation in Ulster; and the Ulster Examiner was the Catholic news paper in Ulster. The Examiner was favourable to tenant right, but also supported home rulers in Cavan and Monaghan.
20 Northern Whig, 28 Jan. 1874. Londonderry Standard, 31 Jan. 1874. Ulster Examiner, 27 Jan. 1874.
21 ‘He [Gladstone] inaugurated the policy of a spurious conciliation, by disestablishing and disendowing the church of Ireland. That stroke at the very root of what he called the “ upas tree of Protestant ascendancy “ would be followed up by a heavy blow against the territorial aristocracy of Ireland, conceived in the interests of a communistic organisation, aiming at confiscation of the rights of property.’ (Newry Telegraph, 29 Jan. 1874.)
22 Belfast News Letter, 27 Jan. 1874.
23 Ibid., 27 Jan. 1874.
24 Ibid., 5 Feb. 1874.
25 Ibid., 5 Feb. 1874. Downpatrick Recorder, 7 Feb. 1874.
26 ‘ In Antrim, Down, Armagh, Tyrone, Derry, in fact in every county in Ulster men have come forward under the guise of Home Rule or Tenant Right, or Home Rule and Tenant Right combined, with the view of putting the tenants against their landlords, of interrupting the friendly relations which have existed, in many cases since the plantation of Ulster, between the families owning, and the families occupying, the land. Now tenant farmers of Ulster, we shall speak plainly to you : Home Rule is simply Rome Rule. And if Home Rule were accomplished tomorrow, before that day week, Rome Rule would be evident ‘ (Belfast News Letter, 5 Feb. 1874).
27 Belfast News Letter, 5 Feb. 1874.
28 Newry Telegraph, 3, 5 Feb. 1874.
29 Nation, 31 Jan. 1874.
30 Nation, 31 Jan. 1874. It would appear that this paper was seeking to influence the home rulers to take up a more radical social position.
31 These statements are based on a careful scrutiny of the editorials printed in these papers during the election campaign.
32 Besides the five M.P.s named in footnote no. 5 who were elected as home rulers, other liberal M.P.s joined the Home Government Association. At the national conference in November 1873, twenty-five M.P.s were present, and during the general election thirty-two Irish M.P.s ran as home rulers. See n. 63 below and appendix.
33 The most successful of these meetings were held in Meath, Westmeath, Louth and Mayo.
34 The Irish Times, 11 Feb. 1874.
35 In discussing the home rule, liberal and conservative candidates in Leinster, Munster and Connacht, election addresses and speeches were analysed from the following newspapers : Dublin Evening Mail, Daily Express (Dublin), Freeman's Journal, Nation, Irish Times, Irishman, Dundalk Democrat, Kilkenny Journal, Leinster Express, Galway Vindicator, Cork Examiner, Cork Daily Herald, Limerick Reporter, Tipperary Advocate, and Drogheda Argus. Daunt's journal (footnote no. 2 above) makes it clear that Archbishop MacHale did not sympathise with Cardinal Cullen's political views.
36 F H. O'Donnell, home rule candidate in Galway, published an election address which included a letter from Cardinal Manning, endorsing him as a worthy candidate to oppose Bismarckian persecution. Sir Rowland Blennerhassett, a Catholic home ruler, was elected for Galway city in 1865 and 1868. He was opposed by some priests in 1874 because of his friendship with Acton and Döllinger. (D.N.B., second supplement, p. 181.)
37 A number of home rulers in their election addresses said they were willing to vote for any home rule measure consistent with the maintenance of the United Kingdom. A number of liberals were quite as explicit as this.
38 Butt could also be considered a conservative, for he had sat in parliament for both Irish and English constituencies as a conservative, and never repudiated his conservatism.
39 Nation, 17 Jan. 1874.
40 John Ellard to Isaac Butt, 7, 10 Jan. 1874. N.L.I., Butt papers.
41 Tipperary Advocate, 24 Jan. 1874. Ellard to Butt, 25 Dec. 1873, Butt papers.
42 Tipperary Advocate, 24 Jan. 1874.
43 Limerick Reporter and Tipperary Vindicator, 16 Jan. 1874. Irish Times, 17 Jan. 1874.
44 Dean O'Brien to Butt, 9 Jan. 1874. Butt papers.
45 Dean O'Brien to Butt, undated letter. Butt papers.
46 Synan to Butt, 9, 10 Jan. 1874. Butt papers.
47 Butt to Mitchell Henry, 13 Jan. 1874. N.L.I., MS 832.
48 John Ellard to Butt, 10 Jan. 1874. Butt papers.
49 Thom's Directory, ‘ supplement ‘, 1874, p. 40.
50 Standard (London), 13 Feb. 1874. Saturday Review, 14 Feb. 1874. Dublin Evening Mail, 12 Feb. 1874.
51 Callan was M.P. for Dundalk, but owing to the shortage of home rule candidates he stood for both Louth and Dundalk in 1874.
52 Fortescue's election address can be found in the Irish Times, 2 Feb. 1874, and an election speech of his is reported in the same paper, 3 Feb. 1874.
53 Dundalk Democrat, 31 Jan. 1874. Nation, 7, 14 Feb. 1874.
55 Irish Times, 28 Jan. 1874.
56 Freeman's Journal, 6 Feb. 1874.
57 Irish Times, 10 Feb. 1874.
58 Irish Times, 10 Feb. 1874.
59 Thom's Directory, ‘ supplement ‘, 1874, p. 40.
60 Nation, 14, 21 Feb. 1874.
61 Dublin Evening Mail, 14 Feb. 1874. Belfast News Letter, 18 Feb. 1874. Standard (London), 16 Feb. 1874. Northern Whig, 7 March 1874. Spectator, 21 Feb. 1874.
62 Uncontested as used here describes any one of three possible situations; the return of a candidate unopposed; the contesting of a seat by candidates belonging to the same party, thereby guaranteeing a victory for that party; or if it is a two-seat constituency, when the return of at least one member of a party is secure, owing to the lack of two opposing candidates of a different party or parties.
63 It must be assumed that the liberal members who attended the home rule meeting in November 1873 were still officially regarded as being members of the liberal party at the dissolution. Thom's Directory, 1865, P. 165 ff., and 1874, ‘ supplement ‘, p. 38 ff. In Waterford county Sir John Esmonde was returned. He endorsed home rule in his election address, but subsequently refused to join the Irish parliamentary party, so he is listed here among the liberals.
64 C. G. Duffy, My life in two hemispheres, ii. 347 ff. A. M. Sullivan, New Ireland, pp. 386, 392. B. O'Reilly, John MacHale, archbishop of Tuam, his life, times and correspondence, ii. 638 ff. F. H. O'Donnell, A history of the Irish parliamentary party, i. 106 ff.
65 Northern Whig, 10, 25 Feb. 1874.
66 Belfast News Letter, 24 Feb. 1874.
67 Northern Whig, 24 Feb., 7 Mar. 1874. Belfast News Letter, 18 Feb. 1874. Spectator, 14 Feb. 1874. The Times (London), 31 Jan. 1874.
68 The Times (London), 9 Feb. 1874. Spectator, 14 Feb. 1874. Daily Express, 21 Feb. 1874.
69 A good example of a sudden conversion to home rule occurred in Kildare, where Charles H. Meldon, a Dublin solicitor, soon after the dissolution joined the Home Rule League and announced himself home rule candidate for Kildare. He had never shown any interest in home rule previous to this. His candidacy received the support of the Home Rule League and he was elected. (Leinster Express, 7, 14 Feb. 1874.)
70 From Agatha Ramm (ed.), The political correspondence of Mr Gladstone and Lord Granville, 1868-76 (Camden 3rd series, lxxxii), nos 926-7, it is clear that the English diplomatic representative at Rome, H. S. C. C. Jervoise, presented to the curia reports of Irish clergy favouring home rule. He reported to Gladstone that Cardinal Antonelli expressed himself as favourable to condemning home rule. Yet the Osservatore Romano in October 1873 carried an article praising the work of the Irish clergy for the ‘ autonomy of Ireland ‘. Gladstone, reporting this to Granville, expressed his displeasure at the home rule activity of Irish bishops and clergy, despite Cardinal Cullen's statement some years previously that home rule was an ephemeral question.
71 In Donegal the tenant right candidate lost by forty votes; in Derry city the conservative won by thirty-two votes, and in Enniskillen the liberal candidate was only twenty votes behind. Thom's Directory. 'supplement ‘, 1874, PP. 39, 40.
72 Newry Telegraph, 5 Feb. 1874.
74 Belfast News Letter, 3 March 1874.
75 Ibid.
76 The conservative victory in England was partly due to the support given to that party by the liquor industry. The latest licensing act of the liberal government had caused great resentment among the distillers and public house owners. The former poured money into the conservative party's coffers and the latter used their business premises as campaign bases for the conservatives. R. C. K. Ensor, England, 1870-1914, pp. 20 ff., and cf. Londonderry Standard, 18 Feb. 1874.
75 Ibid.
76 The conservative victory in England was partly due to the support given to that party by the liquor industry. The latest licensing act of the liberal government had caused great resentment among the distillers and public house owners. The former poured money into the conservative party's coffers and the latter used their business premises as campaign bases for the conservatives. R. C. K. Ensor, England, 1870-1914, pp. 20 ff., and cf. Londonderry Standard, 18 Feb. 1874.