New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-01-29


OF their dispatches on the wires.
have said already that the speech contained no
revelation of the Government purposes about Ireland
There was not even hint, doubtful phrase
out Of which anybody has been ingenious enough to
spin a conjecture. Mr.. Bright has proved that he Is
master of the diplomatsts art, for he has made
speech an hour and a quarter long and told us
absolutely nothing We knew beforehand that Mr..
Bright wants just measure Of relief for Ireland.
and that he has-or had-a scheme of his own with
respect to the land. We thought that at least the
tone of his speech would indicate whether he was
satisfied or dissatisfied with the Cabinet measure,
but that is not clear. There have been reports
that Mr.. Bright was detected, and Mr.. Chichester
FOrtescue-who represents in the Cabinet the Con-
seryative land-owning side of the question-was
elated with the final decision but after hearing Mr.
Bright | cannot discover whether he thinks the
coming measure good or bad. The truth Is
he is identified with his colleagues so long lie re
mains Minister. He must keep their secrets, while
they are secrets and advocate their measures when
once they are before the public for discussion. Pos
sibly there was a meaning in his remark that he did
not ask anybody to approve beforehand what the
Government would do but to give their propositions
the same solemn and conscientious consideration the
Government had given them. 1t is noticeable, ALSO
that he referred pontedly to the necessity OF saving
Ireland for the landowner well as for the occu-
pier and deprecated anything like party struggle
over question on the wise solution OF which, ne
confessed the prosperity the peace, and the unity
of the empire depended.n "In conjunction with her
representatives" said Mr.. Bright eve have already
given to Ireland free churches and free schools and
hope before long that we shall give them free land
and O free vote" The words free land" might
brighten some of the Tory landlords but he went on
to explain that he proposed new conquest OF Ire
land without cOniscatiOn and without blood, with
only the holy weapon of frank and generous justice,
which is everywhere potent to bring together ma
tons which have been long separated by oppression
and neglect"
Nor will you find any positive statement on the
subject of education which next to the Irish Land is
the pressing question: unless the ballot be an excep-
ton; and that is hardly an exception because it is
not question. believe there is no doubt whatever
that the Ballot is to be Government measure. Mr..
Brghts sympathes in education clearly with the
League and it is the enormous difficulties in the way
of ANYTHING like radical measure which compel MIN
to moderate his utterances on question which VIII
divide England as sharply tho Irish Church divided
il; and for the same reason because ecclesiastical
feelings are enlisted on one side and on the other
Mr. Bright is for unsectarian schools doubt, but
does not believe that the Ministry will immedl-
ately adopt a broad policy. Time is wanted The
League is strong, as the Corn Law League was
strong years before it strong enough to carry It's
point. The editor of The birmingham Post, whose re-
lations with Mr. Bright are known to be intimate
who had seen him in private that afternoon ana
who sat next him on the platform, said on the iol-
lowing morning: Speaking without authority
but not without shrewd guess at what is probable
we should not be surprised next session were al
Gil fota obi
and in that case the League has but to keep steadily
to it's work to accomplish in the long run pretty
much what its promoters desire At all events, it
will probably receive no opposition from Mr. Bright
or those members of the Government who may be OF
his way Of thinking; and, as he tells us, Ministries
unite open to persuasion-as indeed, they ought
to be- seeing that they .ei-~nfivas and
so to speak the executors of the national will"
Not word was said on the Alabama question, and
may say frankly am glad there was not The only
allusion to America came in discussion of Protec-
ton. apropos Of the efforts to remodel the French
Treaty, of which, as the work of Mr.. Golden, Mr.,
Bright naturally strong defender 1t is to be re-
GREETED that he cannot speak of who differ from
him on this question with as much courtesy as OF
those who differ from him on other matters. His
lifelong advocacy of Free Trade can scarcely ex-
cuse him for denOuncing robbers men who believe
in different policy, There is sort of soil" says
Mr.. Bright, (which grows weeds [laughterI; and
ignorance and sefshness, wherever they exist, form
the soil which is particularly favorable to the
Protection weed. T. Oh, OH cheers, and laughter
But then, these gentlemen say that they are not dis
cussing the question OF Protection they are mercy
hear Well Protection has an i'll name; there is a
bad smell about it altogether 1t was long ago be-
lieved to be only somebody robbing somebody else
and therefore they get rid of the name Protection,
and adopt the name RECIPROCITY" -, ,
/, who believe in Protection, do not believe that
language of that sort will inJure our cause, ana /
mote IL with regret not for the harm it do
but because it is blemsh on an otherwise noble
speech u VS.