The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-03-13 00:00:00

DISSOLUTION OF PARLIAMENT.

The Earl of Beaconsfield has addressed the following
letter to the Lord.thatenant of Ireland :

"10, Downing-itreet, March 8, 1880.

"My Lord Duke,—The measures respecting the
state of Ireland which Her Mt,jesty's Government so
anxiously considered with your Excellency, and in
which they were much aided by your advice and
authority, are now about to be submitted for the
Royal assent, and it is at length in the power of the
Mtnisters to advise the Queen to recur to the sense of
her people. The arts of agitators, which represented
that England, jnsteat of being the generous and
sympathizing friend, was indifferent to the dangers and
the sufferings of Ireland, have been defeated by the
measures, at once liberal and prudent, which Parlia-
ment has almost unanimously sanctioned.
"Daring the six years of the present administration
the improvement of Ireland and the content of our
fellow.countrymen in that island have much occupied
the care of the Ministry, and they ay remember with
satisfaction that in this period they have solved one of
the most difficult problems connected with its govern-
ment and people by establishing a system of public
education open to all classes and all creeds.

" Nevertheless, a danger, in its ultimate results
scarcely less disastrous than pestilence and famine,
and which now engages your Excellency's anxious at-
tention, distracts that countr,'. A portion of its
population is attempting to sever the constitutional
tie which unites it tori Great Britain in that bond
which has favoured the power and prosperity of both.
"It is to be hoped that all men of light and leading
will resist this destructive doctrine. The strength of
this nation depends on the unity of feeling which
should pervade the 'lgnited Kingdom and its wide-
spread dependencies. The first duty of an English
Minister should be to consolidate that co-operation,
which renders irreestible n community educated, as
our own, in equal love of liberty and law.
"And yet there are some who challenge the ex-
pedlency of the Imperial character of this realm,
Having attempted, and failed, to enfeeble our colonies
by their policy of decomposition,, they may, perhapr,
now recognise in the disintegration of the United
Kingdom a mode which will not only accomplish, but
precipitate their purpose,
"The immediate dissolution of Parliament will
afford an opportunity to the nation to decide upon a
course which will materially influence its future for-
tunes and shape its destiny.

"Rarely in this century has there been an occasion
more critical. The power of ngland and the peace of
Europe will largely depend on the verdict of the country.
Her Majesty's present Ministers have hitherto been
enabled to secure that peace, so necessary to the wel-
fare of all civilized countries, and so peculiarly the
interest of our own. But this ineffable blessing cannot
be obtained by the passive principle of non•inter-
Menne. Peace rests on the presence, not to say the
ascendency, of England in the Councils of Europe.
Even at this moment, the doubt, supposed to be in-
separable from popular'election, if it does not diminish,
certainly arrests her influence, and is a main reason
for not delaying an appeal to the national voice.
Whatever may be its consequence to Her Majesty's
present advisers, may it return to Westminster a
Parliament not.nnworthy of the power of England
and resolved to maintain it I

"I have the honour to be, coy Lord Duke, your
faithful servant, "BEACONSFIELD."