The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-12-18 00:00:00

THE CABINET COUNCIL AND THE
IRISH QUESTION.
eLhe
.Tirnes, in a leader commenting upon the Cabinet
liZ9ell which was held on Monday, and at which ali the
—masters Were present, remarks
"The issue of the meeting of the Cabinet
government yester-
r has been a resolution to introduce a Bill imme-
elY on the opening of next session to give the
extraordinary powers for the main-
Inance of law and order in Ireland. A suspension
Of the Habeas Corpus Act will necessarily form
fa.rt. of such a measure. A definite, if tardy, reso-
tlen has thus been taken. It might have been
be"
ntter if it had been formed a month ago, but
hen we are in the middle of December. with the
.„ristrnas holidays before us, it would be
fllTleult to anticipate the day already fixed
!ftotr the meeting of Parliament—the 6th of January.
fileantime it.is well that it should be known in Ireland
rat the determination of the Government has been
b°l.lllod. A term is fixed when the licence now enjoyed
Tit lawlessness will cease. The Message from the
i.'_urene will call the attention of Parliament to. the
rrible condition into which whole provinces of
jeland have fallen, and will recommend the conces-
(fPn of extraordinary powers for the repression of
tlisorders. The address in reply will assure Her
elesty of the readiness of the Commons to act upon
0 e suggestion made from the Throne, and if any
PPosition arises it will come from a small
tection of the Irish members. The representatives of
.fflgland and Scotland are practically unanimous—so
Pressed have they been by the authoritative revela-
-1°;Is of the reign of crime that has been established;
the majority of the Irish members will, we be-
eve h f3und consenting to proposals they recognize
48 inevitable, howesTer much they may deplore their
11
Rreesity. There may be a short and strenuous
eelggle before the Bill is passed, and it may be that
ft. Bpirit of obstruction will have to be overcome, but
';lp result cannot be doubtful. Within a few days
't,er the opening of Parliament the Irish Government
L'ul be furnished with the powers found to be indis-
'llsable for the restoration of order." . . .

a 3,1118 News, in remarking upon the Cabinet Council,
• 'Mr. Forster had, of course, to tell his col-
d -sues yesterday what they already knew in great
Free, that no improvement had taken place in the
44. tae, 0 f Ireland, and that there was among the law-
section of the population a singular and
f creasing indisposition to act together in en-
and upholding the law. The question
~e"ler further powers were immediately re-
-41,71eQ would of course come under consideration,
suggestions would be advanced as to what
I,:se powers might be. It has also been well
that the resolve to call Parliament together
p" Lae sixth of January was open to reconsideration.
°Wer exists to call it earlier, and that power would
fave been used had the Cabinet seen it to be need-
After three-and-a-half hours of minute study
situation, the Ministers arrived at the con-
'ion that no immediate need existed either for
C
iillthorising the Irish Executive to go beyond the exist-
or to summon Parliament to sanction new re-
ties, sive laws. At the same time, it was distinctly
th: and clearly agreed, as we understand, that unless
state of Ireland materially improves between now
1d the sixth of January, repressive measures, in-
thlicling the suspension of the Habeas Corpus Act, will
eveu be introduced. They will be introduced, how-
wZ, in conjunction with remedial proposals which
tii"J., if possible, take the shape of a Bill, but may take
set ut resolutions affirming the principles of the
eme. These conclusions, moreover, were the unani-
°lls expression of the opinion of the Cabinet."

he Press Association reports that before the
Z4erably of the Cabinet on Monday, Mr. Forster pre-
to each member a memorandum on the state of
!nand, the result of his official experience, and em-
Ying the reports received from the Irish magistracy
of reply to his recent circular. The general effe.ctp
trm.""ese communications had been that the mas-
eg consider that, in the existing state of the coun-
EV, ' they would be unable to carry out the law laid
-7nl in Mr. Forster's instructions.

(From Wednesday's Daily News.)
liejho Central News states :—The second of the present
Of Cabinet Councils, for which summonses were issued
onday night, met yesterday at two o'clock at the Pre-
att official residence, Downing-street. All the Ministers
corded. Mr. Gladstone remained indoors to receive his
hhe„aPs, the first of whom to arrive was the Right. Hon.
‘1.15 right. The Marquis of Hartington, who was the last
kc,'72loer of the Cabinet to enter Mr. Gladstone's did not
' '
irk till Z 25 p.m ,or nearly half-an-hour late. The
t.,,,alsters left in twos and threes when the sitting
gO'o,inated, Lord Granville, Lord Rartington, Mr.
sWtPr, and several others proceeding to• their re-
otive offices, where they remained for some time
k:reafter transacting public business. The Cabinet will
atiteh_t again to-morrow, the 16th inst. The Central News is
eal7s'ised to state, in respect to the meetings of the
ti4ttuet of Monday, and yesterday, that it is ridiculous and
ciDorstl_t; that two members of the Government who are
!tau to coercion on Monday again repeated their
to withdraw from the -Administration if the
11res proposed by Mr. Forster should be adopted.
thr'4l,„ 5' absurd and fallacious is the statement that
pt 7 Ministers protesting against the Lord-Lieutenant
thr,treland being allowed to exercise powers equal to
th-se contained in the Peace Preservation Act pending
CaVneeting of Parliament. Further, it is not true that the
44 lila were unable on Monday to come to any decision,
44t1 that it was resolved to postpone until yesterday the
kft,,lertlent of what course they should adopt regarding Irish
tti:liss and the securing of order in that country. The meet-
or6.42f the Cabinet yesterday was devoted to the elaboration
gre'lle details of the Government measures for Ireland which
.‘,O be presented to Parliament. That of to-morrow will
ttevoted to the same object, those members of the Ca-
Who are more especially conversant with Irish matters
rlitting drafts of proposel clauses for enactment. It
Weaed and believed that the Government's Land Bill
entii, ready by the time Parliament assembles. It is also
Eve, 4 error, and quite in the domain of speculation, to
ne i Aas been done in certain reports, what purport to be
C 1 on which the Land Bill will be drawn. The matter
40 tii,grlder the Cabinet's consideration, and in what shape
Will emanate from their hands it is at present quite
tha 88Ible to say, as may readily be inferred from the fact
tidoa:aliOus propositions have yet to be discussed, and
are or rejected. These propositions, it may be added,
14‘,01;ot altogether mere matters of detail, but some of ithem
ite Principles of considerable importance.

&Jo, rd Shaftesbury has written to The Times to con-
tha',..lllate the country on the resolutions arrived at by
tameinistry in respect to Ireland. Whatever may be
•of the past (and all that may be open to future
at118810u), their present action is marked by wisdom
ho Patriotism ; and he ventures to express an earnest
oje that everyone, however strong his political
eZnbi°„ll,B, will aid the Government, first, in the re-
the -"'-'Bnrnent of order, and then in seeking to promote
terrnanent peace, prosperity, and honour of Ire-