Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-19
FOREIGN NEWS.
GLADSTONE IN SCOTLAND.
The English Statesman Speaks at Edin.
bursh-Music Hall Crowded to its u.
most Capacity.

night. The hall, which has q capacity for
only 1000 persons, was crowded to it's utmost
limits. The aud ence cheered for Gladstone
and Lord Rosebury and groaned for Cham.
beriain and Lord Harrington and other union.
list. When Gladstone rose to speak he was
tumultuously greeted, the enthusiasm was
almost without precedent. When he began
his speech his voice seemed to be less power.
full than usual. He said the present contest
was contest of the pleople. Referring to
the seeding liberals Gladstone said the aues-
tion was whether the country would resolve
with strong sense of justice and sympathy for
ireland to compensate for these defections.
He expressed himself as strongly convinced
that the people had resolved to carry the day
Notwithstanding the detection of prominent
leaders of the liberal party. The battle
against them was led BY officers of their own
army. The conservatives call themselves
unionists and liberals, disntegrators. Thev
wish to preserve the paper union unaltered.
We feel that it should be especially conserved
so far as it is valuable. We seek union of
heart and mind which we are struggling to
restore. 1t is desirable to speedily close this
great controversy, for every interest in this
great country. The position of all parties
will be deplorable, public business be inter-
rupted and public confidence shaken. Social
order infrelaud will not be restored unless
the people speak clearly, maufuly and de
cisively. Do not let it be said that the nation
is unequal to the task of aliny with the
question. Rest assured that if the nations
voice be given in defence of our cause, when
the contest is settled and the excitement has
passed away, it will resemble the old uues-
tions of religious disability, parliamentary
reform and tree trade, and the people will
wonder why opposition was raised. As be-
fore they forgot the opposition to the repeal
of the corn laws and religious disability, so
will they now forget the opposition to the
change we are striving to attain. The Irish
claims were defeated through Irish agency,
the conservatives having obtained 40 seats
through the support of the Parnelites. Do
not praise or blame Parnell for his action.
Suppose the forty had been deducted from
our opponents in the home rule division it
would have made their number 30l instead
of 34l.
Suppose the forty had been added to our
3l1, it would have made US 35l instead of 3ll
1t is important that the electors should real
ize the true issue which is much disputed.
The question You are asked to decide is the
proposition to establish legislative body in
Ireland to manage exclusively Irish affairs.
1t is the principle upon which you are called
to vote and not the details and particulars on
even the bill. propose to reduce the issue
to point wherefrom there can be no escape
Among the great and painful reflections
from honesty and honor whereof we are con-
vinced and which we deeply lament, is that
of our former powerful ally, the Scotsman. a
newspaper (hisses and groans) which has
rendred great and valuable services to the
liberal policy. The Scotsman now goes to
the root of the matter and put an issue in the
way in which it can be met more meritorious-
ly, just as our opponents in Parliament put
an issue in the way at one time favoring home
rule and the principle of the bill and yet voted
against because they objected to the details
of the measure.
The Scotchman puts the question fairly
and clearly. 1t says: ANY general profess
sions by ministerialists of desire for self
government in Ireland will serve them. One
question will test the value or meaning of
these professions. Let the candidate be asked
if he would in the new parliament support
Gladstone's bill, if reintroduced with the al
terations explained at the foreign office meet
ing If he will, he is for disunion and ought
to be rejected" Now mark the coming words
The safest government for Ireland is one
thing most desirable in Gladstone's bill; but
there is another most undesirable feature.
now make the Scotchman and all agreeing
with the Scotchman a very handsome offer.
| am sure when they mention safe self gov
ernment they do not mean by safe to emas.
culate substantialism They mean
that with reasonable precaution the Irish
ought to have the real effective control OF
Irish affairs. That is all we want [Cheers
and all we ask of you. We never asked
Parliament to tie itself to the details of the
bill. There is nothing in it that Parliament
is not perfectly free to change, if the change
is compatible with the principle likely to
forward the application of the principle bet.
ter than the provisions embodied in the bill.
We would come to accept the change in this
as no novelty. made this declaration on
behalf of the government The case is this
We had before US the principle to establish
an Irish stationary legislative body or Parlia-
ment to manage exclusively Irish affairs.
We laid down several conditions essential to
the safe application of that principle. l,
must be compatible with and conclusive tc
the union of the empire; must be founded
upon political equality, embrace equitable
distribution of imperial burdens and a rea
sonable safeguard minority to afford any ra
tional prospect of being accepted as settle
ment of the question. Nobody question:
those conditions. They are admitted to be
Just and rational. 1t is now idle to say thai
the country will be asked to vote on the de-
tails of the bill. The bill is dead with Par.
Lament. [Cheers.] The principle of the
bill survive. Loud cheers
will never be guilty of dishonesty in prom
ising to you, without reflection, new plar
to give effect to principle. l never will
accept new plan unless believe it to be
better than the old one. | have been sur
prised at the baroness and sterility of mind
critics have shown concerning our plan
Perhaps they thought they would not waste
the treasures of their minds on such unprofit'
able audiences as the present government
They will find US first and most eager to hal
and welcome them, and we will promise in
the names of our colleagues to cast our owr
plan to the winds the moment we are shown
plan, provided it is not an evasion of the sub
jAt or artificial machinery devised to defraud
the Irish of their hope of justice. Ministe'
rial candidates mt st not be tested by the bill
we introduced 10 Parliament because it was
the best we could frame. What the nation
has to decide is not the clause detailed or the
method, but the policy and principle. Be
who accepts them is our brother IN arms. de
who repels them sbirks them and uses icti.
tious means to falsify them, and is an adver
sary in the fight whom we must, without In
jury to his life, limb or reputation, endeavol
TO defeat. I read in London that Scotland
was doubtful or adverse to home rule. an
.wered that didn't believe it. l hoped fol
an opportunity to test il and saw enough IL
nv progress to show me that the heart o.
Scotland is more profoundly touched thar
Scotland's will and that Scotland wss never
more earnestly bent on tine work of policy