The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-04-15

! but the colonies SdlO- We QOnt want your
good laws, We want our good laws, and
/ Parliament at length admitted the reason
ableness of this principle. This principle
/ has now come home to US from across the
seas, and the House has now to consider
whether it is applicable 10 the case Of Ire
| land. We now stand face to face with
| what is termed Irish nationality, venting
| itself in a demand for general seIf-govern-
ment in Irish, not in imperial AFFAIRS
| In conclusion Mr.. Gladstone said: II
I hold that there is such thing as local
patriotism which in itself is lot bad but
good. ECheers.l The WelShman is full OF
/ local patriotism. The ScOtchman is full OF
! local patriotism. No; Scotch nationality
/ is as strong as it ever was, and If the need
were TO arise l believe it would be as
ready to assert itself as it was in the
days of Bannockburn. Cheers If L
read Irish history Alright, misfortune and
calamity have welded her sons to their soil
with an embrace yet closer than is known
elsewhere and the Irishman is still more
profoundly Irish; but it does not follow
| that because his local patriotism is strong
/ he should be incapable of an imperial pat
/ riOtism. There are two modes of present
! ing the subject which have argued: one
of them is to present what we now recon-
as a choice of evils and the least among the
varied evils with which, as possibilities, we
are confronted Well, l have argued the
matter as if it had been a choice
of evils. L have recognized as facts
and as entitled to attention JeaIousleS
| which myself do not share or feel | have
argued it on that ground as the only ground
on which it IAN be recommended. not only
to a mixed auditory but to the public mind
OF the country that can not give minute in
vestigation to all portions of this COM
plicated question.
Il do not know whether it NAV appear
| too bold, but in my own heart | cherish
the hope that this is not merely a choice of
the lesser evil, but that it may be proved to
be ere long good in itself. Loud cheers.
There is, l know, an answer to this, and
what is the answer? The answer is only found
in the view which rests upon a basis of
despair, of absolute condemnation of Ireland
and Irishmen as exceptions to those bene-
ticiai provisions which have made in gen.
eral Europeans, in particular Englishmen
and Americans, capable of f-government;
that an lrishplan is luSlLs nature; that
justice, common sense, moderation. natural
prosperity, have no meaning for him; that
all that he can understand and all that he
can apprehend are strife and perpetual dis
sensiOn. Now, sir, am not going TO argue
in this House whether this mOnStrouS view
Irish cheers is correct one. | say an
lrishman is as capable of loyalty
as any other man. Renewed Irish
cheers. But if his loyalty has
been checked. why, it is because the laws by
which lie is governed do not present them
selves to him as they do to us in England or
Scotland, with native and cOngenial eIe-
ment
Il have no right to say that Ireland
through her constitutiOnalIy elected mem-
berS will accept the measure | propose. L
hope they will, but | have no right to as
sumo it, Nor have l any power to enforce
it upon the people of England and Scotland;
but [ rely upon the patriotism and the
sagacity of this House, on full and free
discussion and, more than all, upon the
just and generous sentiments of the two
British nations, and looking forward | ask
the House, believing no trivial motive
could have driven us to assist in the work
we have undertaken work which we believe
will restore Parliament to its free and I'M
impeded cOurse). l ask them TO stay the
waste of the public treasure under the pres
ent system of government and adminiStra-
ton in Ireland which i: is not waste only,
but waste which demOraliZeS while it eX-
hauStS. l ask them to show to Europe and
America that we, too, can face the political
problems which America had to face twenty
years ago and which many countries in
Europe have been called on to face and
have not feared to deal with. | ask that
we shall practice as we have very often
preached, and that in our own case we
should be firm and fearless in applying the
doctrines we have often incucated on
others, that the concession of local self
government is not the way to sap and i'm
pair, but to strengthen and consolidate
unity.
81 ask that we should learn TO rely less
on mere written stipuatiOns and more on
the heart and mind of man. l ask that we
should apply to Ireland the happy expert
ence we have gained in England and Scot
land, where course of generations has
now taught US, not as a dream or AS a
theory, but as a matter of practice and of
life, that the best and SureSt foundation we
can find to build on is the foundation
afforded by the affections and convictions
and will of man and that it is thus, by
decree of the Almighty, far more than by
any other method we can be enabled to
secure at once the social happiness, the
power and the permanence of the empire
Mr.. Gladstone resumed his seat amid
bursts of enthusiastic cheers which were
sustained for several minutes.
Mr.. GladstOne's speech was three hours
and twenty five minutes in duration. He
finished at eight o'clock.