New-York tribune., 1886-06-08
THE HOME RULE DITISIOM.

THE HOME RUE DIVITON
Seven months ago there was not an English
statesman nor politician who favored Home
Rule for Ireland Last night the House OF
Commons was divided nearly evenly between
the advocates and the opponents OF the Nation-
alist cause the Government bill being defeated
by thirty votes. So rapid is the march OF
events where leader of unrivalled courage
and authority gives the signal for advance.
Mr. Gladstone has had to do in England and
Scotland hat Mr.. Parnell had already done in
Ireland to create, educate and discipline
Home Rule party In many respects his task
was more arduous and battling than the Irish
leaders, Mr.. Parnel had the current OF
National aspirations running strongly In his
favor: he was swept along the swollen stream
of the islands adversites and wrongs; and
every breath of race tradition, every II emory OF
Irish history, waited him onward in his victorl-
Gus struggle. Mr.. Gladstone has had to run
against wind and tide and to buffet wrecking
uproar at every turn of the channel AS he
launched hi, boat and shaped his course as far
as the eve could see there WAS a white wall OF
breakers before him. The contemptuous hos
tility of the court, the angry revolt of rank,
| class ana fashion against poi'NJ' an" '"N
nreiudices of even the most democratic Of the
English and Scotch constituencies were arlayed
against him. In every quarter were omcrs Cf
disaster ana signs of panlc-fcar OF the dismem-
berment of the Empire and of civil war. Mr.
Gladstone has not succeeded as he hoped his
bill has not been read the second time; but he
mas formed a powerful Home Rule party Last
nights division proved this, If nothing else.
With numerous defections in opposite quarters,
the great body of Liberal members rallied to
his support and sanctioned his Irish policy.
In the broadest view Of the division this great
phalanx of English, Welsh and Scotch Liberals
looms up as fact of paramount importance.
Last oyembcr there was only one EnGlshman
prepared to grant Mr.. ParnelPs demands. In
the solitude of his library at Hawarden Mr.
! Gladstone accepted an Irish Parliament as the
logical outcome of the overwhelming support
given to the Nationalist candidates in Ireland,
and also as political necessity, since Mr.. Par
nell with his third party would hold at his
mercy any Ministry that might be formed and
| would be able to block the business of Parlla-
ment Those convictions are now shared by Il
| majority of the Lib raj members. The Govern
ment of the day is prepared to appeal to the
| couptry ON the question of home Rne and the
|
Liberal Associations with few exceptions have
sustained its policy. The leaders conversion
TO the Irish political faith has been followed in
an incredibly short period by the marshallng
of the Liberal line of battle under the standard
of Home Rule. There are many Wings and
Radicals in revolt who profess to be better
Liberals than the Gladstonians, but they can
only return to Parliament, if at all, with Tory
aid The Liberal party is committed by last
nights vote unequiTocally to Home Rule. In
the approaching election it will stand in Eng
land and Scotland for what the Natonaists
stand in Ircland-a separate legislature as a
means of reconcilng the two countries.
This fact oyershadows in Importance the de-
feat of the Government on the second reading
of the Home Rule bill. The majority of thirty
against Nat measure, while larger tLan has
been anticipated, is relatively of trivial signif-
cance. 4 small body of waverers have had it
in their power to place Mr.. Gladstone in ma
ority or minority, and after much vacliation
they have finally preferred to adopt the latter
COURSE But it would be absurd to speak of
these Chamberlain Radicals as having done
more than to bring on general election with
out delay They have not voted unequvocally
against separate Irish legislature for their
leader in his latest speech has protessed his
willingness to grant Home Rule provided com
plete Irish representation be retained in West
Minister. Neither they nor the Wings have
wrecked the Ministry, for an appeal to the
country had been decided upon in advance.
The utmost the macOntents could do was TO
force the Government to dissolve Parliament
prematurely and to deprive Mr.. Gladstone Of
the practical adv antage of time in accustomi n 2
the constituencies to the idea of separate leg
islature fer Ireland.
The most remarkable utterance of the closing
debate was Mr. Palnelrs admission that the
Irish Parliament unlike Grattan's, which had
coordinate powers, would be wholly subord-
nate to the Imperial Parliament, and that the
Irish people were content to have it so. His
acceptance of Mr.. Gladstone's scheme was
hearty and unreserved. His speech was ad-
mirable in form and conservative in tone, his
sarcasms at the expense of the Whig and
Radical statesmen responsible for instigating
civil strife in Ulster being particularly
elective. Mr.. Parnell's and Mr.. Gadstone's
appeals for majority for the second reading
proved futile, but their co operation in this
closrty debate is an earnest of the reconciliation
that will be effected il the constituencies de-
eide to sustain the Government. To them the
| question of Home Rule must speedily be Ie-
ferred.