The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-04-10
RECEIVED WITH FAVOR.
IR;SH AND AMERICAN OPINION ON
GLApSToNE's IRISH BILL,

commons, Thursday, Mr.. Gladstone put the
most emphasis, when discu sing the cause OF
Irish discomfort on the proposition that
laws to be observed and respected by peo-
pie must not only be good laws, but must be
made by that people themselves This
principle, no said, was not by
any means an Irish principle, but
influence all nations and peoples, and
especially the English and Americans
While the colonies were governed from
Downing street, he said, there was contin-
ued trouble and dissatisfaction, and not
until the Whole government OF the colonies
was vested in their own people did content
ment come. England, no doubt, wanted to
make good laws for Ireland her statesmen
had tried honestly to do so-that no one
could doubt-but they had failed in conse-
quence of the Inherent determination of a
people loyal to their own soil to make their
own domestic laws.
NJ Gladstone then said he had argued
this question as if his proposition was a sort
of least of two evils, but he trusted that it
was not presumptuous in him to say that he
hoped that his plan would succeed because
it was right in itself He believed
in local patriotism, AMI did not
Iulllh SUCH StnIilntnb WAS
sistent with the largest imperial
patriotism, and he believed that the Irish
people would prove it so when given an
opportunity. He scorned and detested the
view sometimes presented and urged, that
Irish discomfort was the expression of a
vicious nature, which delighted never so
much as in turbulence and was utterly
incal able of self government. Theproposition
was brutal and had no meaning for him
The freshman was as capable OF loyalty as
any one, and it was the fault OF the En-
glish government that his loyalty had never
deyelo ell itself in behalf of the empire.
Mr.. Gladstone closet rs follows: Il have
no right to say that Ireland, through her
constitutionally elected members, will &C
cept tho measure | propose. l hope they
viii, but | have no right TO assume it, nor
have | any powe to enforce it upon Eng
land and Scotland, but | rely on the patri-
otism and sagacity of the house on free
and full discussion, and, more than all,
upon the ust ami generous sentiments of
the two British nations, and, looking for
ward, | ask the house, believing that no
trivial motive couli have drawn us to assist
in the work We have uniertaken-a work
which we believe will restore parliament to
its free and} unlmpeded course-I7 ask
them to stay the waste of the
public treasure under the present
system of government and administra-
ton i'll Ireland. which is not waste only, but
a waste which demoraliles while it exhaustS
| ask them to show to Europe and America
that we, too, can face the political probl ms
which America had TO face twenty years
ago and which many countries in Europe
have been called upon t. face and have not
feared to deal with / ask that we shall
practice as We have often preached, and
that In our own case W. should be firm in
applying the doctrines we have incul ,ated
in others-that the concession of local self
government is not the way to sap and i'm
pair but to strengthen AMI consolidate
unity. | ask that we should learn to
rely less on mere written stipulations; more
on those better stipulations written
on the heart and hand of man. |
ask that We should apply to Ireland the
happy experience We have gained in Eng
land and Scotland, where a course of gener-
ations has taught us-not as a dream, Il
theory, but as a matter of practice and life
that the best and surest foundation we can
find to build on is a foundation afforded by
tho affections and convictions and will Of
man, and that it is thus, by the decree of
the Almighty far more than by any other
method, we may be entitled to secure at
once the social happiness, the power and
the permanence of the empire"
MIR. Farnell, while reserving his full ex-
preston of opinion until he had seen the
bill, congratulated the house on the
fact that there was still living an English
statesman who could devote his attention to
this important matter, and begged to thank
Mr.. Gladstone for what would not only
prove beneficial measure from the Irish
point Of view, but which he [Parnell be-
loved would 10 found to he of equal
benefit to England The bill, neverthe
less contained blots which the Irish repre-
sentatives would do their best to remove.
One OF these was to be found in the finan-
cial proposals of the bill, which he regarded
as very unfavorahle to Ireland, espe tally
in regard to the Irish tribute to the imperial
exchequer He did not ike the two orders
in the legislative body. He thought, how
ever, that these defects could be remedied,
and the long dispute between the two coun-
tries ended to the satisfaction OF ali on the
hass of this bin
Following is a synopsis of the proposed
measure: In detail, the parliament should
the scheme be carried, will consist of two
orders sitting and voting together, except
when they may disagree, each order to have
a veto on the legislative action Of the other
for a period of three years, or until dissolu
ton The first order is to consist of the
twenty eight representative peers of Ireland,
should they choose to sit in the new Irish
poplian,ant anl five
| elected by ratepaysrs taxed on an
| assessment of Si25 The second order
will consist OF 2O6 members elected
on the present Irish franchise The dura-
ton of the parliament will be five years. 1t
will have no power to establish or endow
any religious sect to interfere with the pre-
negatives of the crown, in army or navy
| affairs, or with the foreign and colonial
policy of Great Britain. Its prefogatives
are to be purely local, such as the passage
| of laws affecting trade and navigation,
weights and measures, local taxation and
| postal arrangements. 1t does not conteni-
plate such relations between Ireland and
| Great Britain AS exit between one of our
states and the general government Mr..
Gladstone saws: AS Ireland is to have g
domestic legislature, it will therefore be
impracticable for Irish representatives to
come here meaning that there will be nc
Irish membership in the house of commons,
leaving Ireland in the condition state in
the United States would be if it had nc
representative in congress- free to regulate
its local affairs, but having no voice in
| national. Other details of the bill provide
that the office of viceroy shall continue,
but be made non political, while the control
of the constabulary remains, for some time
at least, rs at present The fiscal unity OF
the empire is to be preserved, but the
revenue from customs and excise duties h
to be held for the discharge Of Irish obliga
tons Thegeueral power of imposing take.
is also vested in the legislature.
There is a good deal of unanimity among
the Irish members in their opinion of the
scheme A correspondent says:
MIR. Healy tells me he is fairly well sat
isfied, but will like the bill better when
some small changes-indicated in Mr. Par.
nells speech-are made.
MIR. Biggar epitomized the bill in q
comprehensive eia culation as, splendid, but
capable of minor improvements
Mr. John OiConnor of Tippararu ia