Morning journal and courier., 1886-06-11

" which cannot be efaced. But I go on to another pious belief on the other side of the house, or at all events one that is often pro- fessed in controversies on the Irish question. It is supposed that all the series of abuses of English power in Ireland are ancient his tory and that from the time of the union there has been a steady redress of grievan- ces. l am sorry to say there has been noth- ing of the kind. There has been period when grievances have been redressed under compulsion, as in 1929, when Catholic eman- cipation was granted to avoid civil war. And now, sir, what is before us in the event of the rejection of this billa MT.
 Chamberlain has proposed alternatives, plen- ty of them. lLaughter.l He says that dis solution has no terror for him. I do not wonder at it. l do not see how dissolution
 can have any terrors for him. He has trimmed his vessel and touched his rudder in such masterly way that whichever of the
 winds of heaven may blow it must fill his sails. Laughter and cheers.] Suppose at
 the election public opinion should be very strong for the bill. My friend is perfectly
 well prepared to meet that public opinion by saying: l declare strongly that 1 adopted
 the principle of the bill. Laughter and
 cheers.l Suppose on the other hand that public opinion should be very much adverse to the bill.
 Lord Salisbury has given us rival plans. Laughter. Lord Salisbury's policy has not been disavowed; therefore is it adopted. What is it! Great complaints are made be- I cause it has been called the policy of coer- cion. Lord Salisbury is stated to have ex- plained that he is not favorable to coercion, but only to legislative provisions for pre- venting interference by man with the liberty of another, and for insuring the reg
 ular execution of the law. Proposition cheers. And that you say is not coercion.
 Cheers. Was that your view six months ago? Loud ministerial cheers. l feel that in attempting to palter with the demand of Ireland, that any rejection of cenciliatory policy might have an effect, that none of us could desire, in strengthening that party of disorder which is behind the back of the Irish representatives, which skulks in Amer
 ica, which skulks in Ireland Opposition cheers which trust is losing ground and is losing force [Parneilite cheers l, and which will lose ground and will lose force in pro- portion our policy is carried out, and which I cannot altogether dismiss from con- sideration when I take into view the conse- quenees which might follow upon its rejec- ton. T'Hear!" ''Hear!"l What is the case of Ireland a5 this moments Have the gen tlemen considered that they are coming into contact with nationi Loud cheers. This, if I understand it, is one of the golden mo- ments of our history, one of those opportu- mites which may come, may go, but which rarely return, if they return, return at long intervals and under circumstances which no man forecast. There have been such golden moments even in the tragic history of Ireland. As her poet says: "One time the harp of Innlsfail was tuned to notes of gladness," and then he goes on to say, stBut yet did ofttimes tell tale of more pre- vailing sadness" But there was such gol- den moment-it was in 17S5-it was & mis- sion of Lord Fitzwilliam, and at that mo- ment it is historically clear that the parlia- ment of Grattan was on the point of solving the Irish problem. The two great knots of that problem were in the first place Catholic emancipation, and in the second place reform of Parliament. The cup was at her lips and she was ready to drink it, when the hand of England rudely and ruthlessly dashed it to the ground in obedience to the wild and dan gerous intimation of an Irish faction. [Cheers.
 There has been no great day of hope for Ireland, no day when you might hope com pletely and definitely to end the controversy till now, after more than ninety years. The long periodic time has at last run out, and the star has again mounted up into the heav- ens What Ireland was doing for herself in 179S we at length have done The Roman Catholics have been mancipated-emancipa ted after woful disregard of solemn prom ises through twenty-nine years, emancipated slowly, sullenly, not from goodwill, but from abject terror, with all the fruits and consequences that will follow that method of legislation. [Cheers. The second problem has been also solved and the representation of Ireland has been reformed, and I am thankful to say that the franchise given to Ireland, together with the read justment of last year with a free and open hand. That gift of franchise the last act re- quired to make the success of Ireland in her final effort absolutely sure. Cheers. We have given Ireland voice and we must list sn to what she says. We must all listen
 both sides, both parties-I mean as they are divided on this question; divided I am afraid
 by almost unmeasurabe gap. [Cries of
 'Hearl" 'tHear!"l I believe that there is ill the breast of many man who means to vote against US to night a profound misSiy- ing, approaching even to deep conviction Opposition cries of "No" and home rule cheers that the end will be as we foresee it and not as you do, that the ebbing tide is with you and that the flowing tide is with us. Ministerial cheers. Ireland stands at your bar expectant. hopeful, almost suppli- ant. Her words are the words of truth and soberness. Opposition laughter and home rule cheers. She asks blessed oblivion of the past, and in that oblivion our interest is 8 deeper interest than hers. Go into the length and breadth of the world, ransack the literature of all countries and find if you 8 single voice, a nSle book, find, l would almost say, as much as sing gle news paper article in which the conduct of Eng land towards Ireland is anywhere treated ex- cept with profound and bitter condemnation.
 Are these the traditions by which exhorted to stand! Ohl They are sad ex- ception to the glory of our country. [Cheers. They are more than a black spot upon the pages of it's history. And what we want to do is to stand by the traditions of which we are the heirs in all matters except our rela- tions with Ireland, and to make relations with Ireland conform to the other traditions of our country. [Cheers-] So we treat our traditions; so we hail the demand of Ireland for what I call a blessed oblivion of the past. She asks also a boon for the future, and that boon for the future, unless we are much mis- taken, will be boon to us in respect to hon nc less than boon to her in respect to happiness, prosperity and peace. [Cheers. Think, beseech you, think well, think wise ly think not for the moment, but for the years that are to come before you reject our plan. Loud and enthusiastic cheering, dur ing which MT. Gladstone resumed his seat.
 UNCLE BILLY.