The Wilmingtonian., 1886-03-13
English Politics.

ENG itsn OilltCSs
The only matter of significance occupying
the English political field at this moment is
the question of Gadstone's disposal of the
Irish question
The most contradictory statements are
floating around as to the extent of the con-
cessions he will make. 1t is claimed that
bill taking up the Irish question in detail
has already been drafted by the premier.
There is little agreement in the various as
-sertinns haweuar as to its, contents, From
some quarters it is sald that square and out
right Home-Rule bill will be before the
HOUSE of Commons within a month.
1t is a foregone conclusion that any Home
Rule enactment for Ireland will receive a
large adverse vote in the House of Lords
Sufficient to say on that point that Mr.. Glad
stone not only expects that result in the
Upper House bat proposes to make political
capital out of the fact and intends laying a
large share of the opus OF obstructive action
against his efforts to pacify Ireland upon the
heads of the Tory peers. Mr., Labonchere's s
motion in the House of Commons last week
referring to the judiciousness at the present
time of aboishing the chamber of hereditary
legislators gives pointed value to the pre-
mier's finessing.
But that is not all of the danger to an
Irish Home Rule bill that exists in parlia.
ment. Many Of Mr. Gladstone's old follow
erS, landed proprietors, who have seats in
the Lower House, consider that it is neces-
sary to join with his enemies upon this ques.
tion. They of course make the specious
through plausible argument that the gener.
al tendency and working of such bill will
be to disrupt the empire. Their real cause
for alarm being the suspicion that the detail.
Of the proposed bill in the Irish interest sac
rfice too much Of the rights of the land
lords forcing them by legislation to sell theil
estates by almost mandatory laws. Lord
Harrington, Mr.. Gladstone's former lieuten.
ant on the liberal side is an extensive land
owner in Ireland, aud so are large number
of other commoners who make open profes
sion OF their intention of desertng the pre-
p,;,r ,,pnn tb,c tast nupstipn
Mr.. Gladstone realizes however in the
presence of the fact of his own extreme agt
and fast increasing physical decrepitude the
necessity Of placing his party on record upor
this question. He is aware that should h,
die, or his health fail to the extent of pre-
cludiug any possibility on his part to main
tain his leadership of the Liberal party, that
it is only the traditional loyalty and person
al faith his followers place in him individual
, ly that holds his party intact AT his re
tirement or death there is NJ one to take hii
place ia any effective degree whatever ThC
question Of Home Rule for Ireland, outsid
} OF MIR. Gladstone personal DolsCering oil Tn
measure or his personal requests to the Lib
erAl party for aid iu its enactment has N
vital attraction for any Epglishman Wer
he away any eloquent speaker who appeale
L to the feelings OF the nation upon the topi
/ of its imperial solidarity would gather shoal
l of converts from Liberal ranks in the Com
! nous.
e Separation is nor popular theme anon
e En- 5lishmen and their Evolutionary feeling
4 eau alone be impressed or changed to anotl
e er direction by Que Of the stamp of Gla,
stone
Should he die during the passage of IL
n bill the event would be fatal to its suceessf
r enactment in the British parliament.