Punch: Punch (96.1889)

246

PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI.

[May 25, 1889.

THE OFFER OF THE OLIVE-BRANCH.

“My suggestion that recourse should be had to
arbitration, as a means of settling the questions
now in dispute between landlords and tenants on
a number of estates in Ireland. I have, I must say,
almost abandoned hope of my suggestion being
adopted by the landlords and their advisers. My
effort in the cause of peace has been strongly
sustained by those newspapers—such, for instance,
as the Freeman’s Journal and United Ireland—
which are universally recognised as exponents and
advocates of the tenants’ claims.”—Archbishop
Walsh's Letter to “ The Times.”

Is it a time when aught should bid to cease
One honest effort in the cause of Peace ?

Is it an hour when journalistic scorn,

Or Party anger should make more forlorn

The fainting hope of the peacemaker ? Nay!
Dissension here has had too long a day ;
Hate’s hideous harvest only never fails.

The scribe who sneers, the partizan who rails,
Help that, not Law and Order—the glib cry
Of pedants sour who mock at amity.

Who knows the history ? Who will stoop to
learn F

Let shallow spouters sedulously turn
The leaves of Ireland’s story, and shake off
That fatal readiness to rage and scoff
At acts ungauged, and men misunderstood,
Which checks the growth of all the seeds of
good.

Between long raging foes, both hot and blind,
Whom law iniquitous ana chance unkind

it

Conjoined, have alienated, seems to stand,
With friendly mien, and olive-branch in
hand,

A messenger of peace. Is it not time
That stern constraint and fiercely furtive
crime,

So long resultlessly opposed should cease
To have the field between them ? “ Is

peace ?”

Suspicion cries, “ or some new shape of guile
Intent to plague this faction-harried Isle ? ”
So sneers the squint-eyed spirit which in-
spires

Our rival thoughts and fans our mutual ires.
Is here no opening, if not quite for trust
Entire, for patient trial ? Ah! be just