The Portland daily press., 1886-06-14
Gladstone to the MidIothian Electors.

LONDON, June 13.-Mr. Gladstone has is
sued manifesto to the electors of Midloth-
ian in which he says: In consequence of the
defeat of the bill fer the better government
of Ireland the ministry advised and Her Ma
jesty was pleased to sanction the dissolution
of Parliament for the decision by the nation
of the graveSt and likewise the simplest is
sue that has been submitted to it for half a
century. 1t is only sense OF gravity of this
issue which induces me at this period of life,
when nature cries aloud for repose, to seek,
after sitting in thirteen Parliaments, a seat
in the fourteenth and with this view to So
licit for the fifth time the honor Of your con-
fidence. At the last election l endeavored in
my address and speeches to impress upon
you the fact that the great crisis had arrived
in the affairs of Ireland. Weak as the late
government was for ordinary purposes it
had great advantages for dealing with that
crisis. Comprehension of the measure pro-
ceeding from that government would have
received warm and extensive support from
within the Liberal party and would proba-
bly, have closed the Irish controversy within
the present session, and have left the Parlla-
ment of 1885 free to prosecute the now stag
nant work of ordinary legislation with the
multitude of questions it includes. My earn
est hope was to support the late cabinet in
such course of policy; on the 26th of last
January the opposite policy of coercion was
declared the choice of the government, the
Earl of Caravan alone refusing to share. In
it. The Irish question was thus placed ia
the foreground to the exclusion of every 9TH
er. The hour as all felt was come. The only
point remaining to determine was the man
ner in which it was to be dealt with. In my
judgment the proposal of coercion was not
justified by the facts and was doomed to GER
tain and disgraceful failure. Some method of
governing Ireland other than coercion ought,
as | thought, to be sought for and to be
found, therefore, viewed without regret the
fall of the late cabinet, and when summoned
by Her Majesty to form new one | under
took it on the basis of an anti-c0ersiOn policy
with the fullest explanations to those whose
aid sought as colleagues. When propos-
ed to grant Ireland domestic legislature and
to maintain the honor and consolidate unity
of the Empire, a government was formed and
the work was at once put in hand. You Will
now understand how and why it is that the
affairs of Ireland, and not for the first time,
have thrust aside every other subject and
adjourned our hopes of useful and progress
siVe legislation. Thus, gentlemen it is that
this great and simple issue has come upon
you and demands your decision, VIII you
govern Ireland by coercion or will you let
Ireland manage her own affairs? There are
two clear, positive and Ineligible plans be-
fore the world. There is the,plan of the gov
ernment and there is the plan of Lord Sails
bury. Our plan is that Ireland should, under
we'll considered conditions, transact her own
affairs. His plan is to ask Parliament to re-
new the repreSSive laws and enforce them
res0lutely for twenty years, by the end OF
which time he assures us ireland will be fit
to accept any government in the way of local
government, on repeal of the coercion laws
you may wish to give her. Among the bene-
fits | anticipate from your acceptance of our
policy are these: Redemption of the honor of
Great Brittan from the stigma fastened upon
her; consolidation of the united Empire and
a great addition to its strength; stoppage of
the heavy, constant and demoralizing waste
Of the public treasure; abatement and grad
ual extinction of ignoble feuds in Ireland
and that development of her resources which
experience shows to be the natural conse-
quence of free and orderly government; re-
demption of the honor of Great Britain from
the stigma fastened upon her almost from
time immemorial respect of Ireland by the
Judgment of the whole civilized world and
lastly, the restoration of Parliament to its
dignity and efficiency and the regular pro-
gress of the business of the country.
Unhappy ireland.
DUBLIN, June 13.--A serious riot occurred
in Sligo last evening and several Protestant
houses were wrecked. The residence of a
leading OraDgeman was burned last night by
the mob The military charged and shot
some of the rioters Extra police have been
drafted. The town has been quieted today.
The rioting was originated by the Catholics
who were angry because somebody had de-
stroyed the rails surrounding the bishops
palace. They gathered in thousands and
attacked the houses of Protestants and mo-