Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-06-18

. - PPEAA ~ hAh
Mr.. Gladstone has issued an appeal to his
Midlothian constituents in which he says;
In cons quence Of the defeat OF the bill
for the better government of Ireland, ths min
stry advised and her ma jesiy was pleased to
sanction the dissolution of parliament for a
d, ciEion by the nation OF the gravest and like.
wise the simplest issue that has been sub
mitted to it for half century. 1t ouly the
sense OF gravity Of this issue which induces
me at this period of life, when Dsture cries
aloud for repose, to seek after sitting in 10
parliaments a seat in the l4th, and with this
in view TO solicit for the fifth time the honor
OF your confidence. At the last election en-.
deavored in my addresses and speeches to i'm
press upon you the fact that 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 comprehensive measure proce eding
from that government would have received
warm and extensive support from the liberal
party and would probably have closed the
Irish controversy within the present session,
and have left the parliament Of 1885 free TO
prosecute the now stagnant work Of ordinary
legislation with the multitude Of questions it
includes. My earnest hope was TO support
the cabinet in such q course of policy. On
the 2Glh of last January the opposite policy
choice of the government, the Earl of Car
nRvron alone refusing TO share in II. The
Irish question was thus placed In the fore
ground to the exclusion Of every other. The
hour, as all felt, WAS come. The only point
remaining to determine was the manner in
which it was to be dealt with. In my judg-
meht The proposal Of coercion was not JUST.
fled by the facts and was doomed to certain
and disgraceful failure. Some method Of gov.
Ill h. NhaW, I
thought, to be sought for and to be found.
Therefore l viewed without regret the fall OF
the late cabinet and when summoned by her
majesty TO form q new one, l undertook on
the basis of the Anti-coeIcion policy, with the
! fullest explanations to those whose aid sought
as colleagues, when proposed 10 grant Ire
land a domestic legislature and maintain the
honor and consolidate the unity of the en-
| pire. The 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 adjourn
ed our hopes Of useful and progressive legis-
lation. Thus il is that this great simple issue
has come upon and demands your decision.
! Will you govern Ireland by coercion or will
you let Ireland manage her own affairs
There are two clear, positive and ineligible
plans before the world. There Is the plan of
! the government ana the plan OF LORD Salls-
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
resolutely for 20 years, by the end of which
time he assures us that Ireland will be Ht to
accept any government in the way of local
government, on repeal of the coercion laws
you may wish to give her.
Among the benefits / anticipate from your
acceptance of our policy are these The
consolidation of united empire and great
addition to its strength the stoppage of the
heavy, constant and demoralizing waste of
public treasure. the abatement and gradual tx
tincton Of ignOble feuds in Ireland, and that
development of her resources which expert
ence shows to be the natural consequences of
free aud orderly government; the redemp-
ton of the honor of Great Britain from the
stigma fastened upon her almost from time
immemorial in respect to ireland by the judg-
ment of the whole civilized world and lastly
the restoration of parliament to its dignity
and efficiency and the regular progress Of the
business of the country"