Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-03-13
LORD BEACONSFIELD'S MANI
FESTO.

As soon as thedisSOlution of Parli-
ament was announced in the House
of Commons, a letter from Lord
yBeaconsfield to the Duke of MARI
borough was published, which is
evidently, to use American phrase
oIogy, a platform of the Govern
meut party, SO far at least as Irish
affairs are concerned. We subjoin
its text in fulIf::
DOWNING STREET, March 8
My Lord Duke. The measures re-
speeding the state of Ireland which
Her Majesty's Government have SO
anxieusly considered with your Ex-
cellency and in which they were
much aided by your advice and
authority, are now about to be SUBJ
mitted for royal assent, and it is at
length in the power of Ministers to
advise the Queen to recur to the
sense of her people. The acts of ag-
itatOrs, which represented England,
instead of being a generous and
sympathizing friend, as indiffer-
ent to the dangers and sufferings of
Ireland, have been defeated by
measures at once liberal and pru-l
dent, which Parliament almost
unanimously sanctioned. During
the six years of the present admin
istration, the improvement of Ire
land and content of our fellow
countrymena Of that island have
much occupied the care Of the min
istry, and they remember with sat
isfaction that in this period they
have solved one Of the most, diff
cult problems connected with its
government and people by estab-
fishing a system of public education
open to all classes and all creeds.
Nevertheless a danger, in lis ulti-
mate results scarcely less disastrous
than pestilence or famine and which
now engages your Excellency's
anxious attention, distraets that
country. A portion of the popula-
ton is attempting to sever the con-
stitutional tie which unites it to
Great Britain, in That bond which
has favored the power and pros
perity of both. 1t is to be hoped
that all men of light and leading
will resist this destructive doctrine.
The strength OF this nation depends
upon the unity of feeling which
should pervade the United Kindom
and its widespread dependencies.
The first duty of an English Minis
ter should be to consolidate the CO.
operation which renders irresistible
a community educated as our own
in an equal love of liberty and law,
and yet there are some who chal-
lenge the expediency of the imperial
character of this realm. Having
attempted and failed to enfeeble the
colonies by their policy of decompo-
sition, they may perhaps recognize
the disintegratiOn of the United
Kingdom, a mode which will not
only accomplish but precipitate
their purpose. The immediate dis
solution of Parliament will afford
an opportunity to the nation to de-.
eide npon the course which will
materially influence its future for
tunes and shape its destiny. Rarely
in this country has there been an
occasion more critical. The power
of England and the peace of Europe
will largely depend on the verdict
of the country. Her Majesty's pres
CAAG DG6u
enabled to secure that peace so nee
essary to the welfare of all civilized
countries, and so peculiarly to the
interest Of our own, but this ineffa-I
BILE blessing cannot be obtained by
passive principle of non-interfer-
ence. Peace rests on the presence,
not to say ascendency, of England
in the councils of Europe. Even at
this moment the doubt supposed to
be inseparable from popular cleo
ton, if it does not diminish, GER
tainly arrests her influence, ana is
the main reason for not delaying an
appeal to the national voice, what
ever may be the consequence to Her
Majesty's present advisers. May it
return to Westminster a Parliament
not unworthy of the power of Eng
land, and resolve to maintain it.
have the homer to be, my Lord
Duke, your faithful servant, VI
37z- BEAcONSFIELD. . 4
Ireland and the BeacOnsfieId pol
icy in continental Europe will be
the main campaign issues.