The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-01-30 00:00:00

THE LORD LIEUTENANCY OF IRELAND.

Lord Kilmorey rose to move that in the opinion of
/ their lordships' House the time had come when the
post of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland might be abolished
with advantage. He regretted that he could not have
the advantage of the friendly criticism d the late
Duke of Abercorn on this motion, and also that Lord
Spencer was not in his place. The state of Ireland
I when the latter was Lord Lieutenant for the second
time, as compared with its condition under other
Viceroys, showed the superiority of the " fortiter in
re" to the" suaviter in modo " when the Government
in Ireland was in question. It was true that the office
of Lord Lieutenant of Ireland had existed for more
than 700 years, but that was no reason why it
should exist for ever. Experience has shown that
it was not of advantage to the country; and when
a Parliamentary movement was made against it in 1850
and 1858, the arguments used in favour of its retention
were very curious. Irish history repeated itself with
the fidelity of the stock piece of a provincial theatre.
The play was always the same, though the actors were
changed from time to time. Lord Russell in 1850 re-
ferred to a Bradshaw's Guide to show how much the
communications between this country and Ireland had
been accelerated since the beginning of the present
century; but, seeing how vastly they had been
accelerated since 1850, the argument in favour of the
abolition of the office put forward by that noble lord
had been very greatly strengthened. Therrime Minister
at Downing-street might now bold a conversation
with the Chief Secretary for Ireland at Dublin
Castle, and the Duke of Cambridge at the War Office
might confer with the commander of the forces in
Ireland while the latter was at his official residence in
the Royal Hospital. Then the railway and sea journey
from London to Dublin was an affair of only 10 or 12
hours. The Viceregal system was a bad one. It was
an evil to have the Lord Lieutenant a member of a
political party, because being so he was bound to ad-
minister the affairs of the office in a party spirit. He
would abolish the Viceroyalty and transfer the adminis-
trative functions of that office to the Secretary of
State, and he expressed the opinion that if the Irish
people had greater facilities of seeing real instead of
mock Royalty, the results would be better than
any that could be effected by the retention of the Vice-
royalty.
Lord Cowper, having filled the office of Lord Lieu-
tenant, was desirous of expressing his concurrence in
the motion. As to the state functions of the Viceroy,
from experience he could say that entertainments in
Ireland were pleasurable because the Irish were them-
selves hospitable and appreciated hospitality in others;
but he did not think that levees and drawing-rooms at
Dublin were attended by tho,e who would not
attend them in London. The administrative
functions of the Lord Lieutenant might be dis-
charged by a Secretary of State, and at
present there was an anomaly in the rela-
tions between the Viceroy and his Chief Secretary.
The Irish members who advocated Home Rule had
recently shown themselves to be in favour of
the retention of the Lord Lieutenancy, because they
knew that if Ireland was to have a -Parliament she
must, like Canada, have a Governor. The qaestion of
the day was Home Rule for Ireland, and as he was one
of those who thought that such a system was an
impossibility—that we could never hear of a separate
Parliament for Iceland—he thought this would be an
opportune moment to do away with the office and thus
show the determination of the Imperial Parliament
that Ireland was not to have a separate constitution.
Lord Howth supported the motion; Lord Fortescuo
was in favour of abolishing the Viceroyalty; but Lord
Fitzgerald thought the time was not opportune for the
proposition before the House.
Lord Salisbury agreed with Lord Fitzgerald. He
regarded the Viceroyalty as a survival. Nobody would
create such an office now, and there was much to be
said for its abolition. He concurred with Lord Cowper
as to the anomaly of the position of the Lord Lieu-
tenant in relation to that of his Chief Secretary, when
the former was not a member of the Cabinet and the
latter was and he rejoiced to hear the outspoken
language of his noble friend in reference to Home
Rule; but he did not know that any Irish party was
asking for the abolition of the Lord Lieutenancy
now, and if it were now abolished there might
be a cry that this was another step in the
direction of centralization. Again, the Vice-
regal Court caused an expenditure of money
among the trading classes of Dublin, and this was not
perhaps the best time to take a step which would have
the effect of diminishing the expenditure of money
there. The arguments in favour of the motion were
act so overwhelming that the Government could accede
to it without a dereliction of their duty.
Lord Kimberley, while on the whole in favour of the
abolition of tho Vicoroyalt7, pointed out thebt there
were difficulties of arrangement which would have to
be provided for before the administrative functions of
the Lord Lieutenant could be transferred to another
official. Further, he contended that the Lord Lieu-
tenancy could not be dealt with apart from the whole
question of Irish affairs.
The motion was withdrawn.
THE GOVERNMENT OF IRELAND.

Lord Waveney having repeated his views as to the
existing condition of Ireland, moved that the Ministerial
plan for the government of that country be introduced
forthwith and take precedence of all public business up
to report.
Lord Salisbury contended that the Government were
adopting a constitutional course in obtaining the best
information on the subject before laying before Parlia-
ment any proposals as to Ireland. When the new
Chief Secretary had made his report they would con-
sider it without delay, and submit their views to
Parliament.

Lord Kimberley observed that what the Opposition
criticized was the extraordinary mode in which the
Government proceeded to obtain information. Having
had ample opportunity of informing themselves before
the meeting of Parliament they now sent Mr. Smith to
Dublin to obtain in 24 hours information on which they
were to found their policy:
The other orders having been disposed of, their lord.
ships rose at ten minutes past seven o'clock.