Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1886-12-09
THE LIBERAL UNlONlSTS.
MEMBERS OF THAT BODY HOLD
VERY IMPORTANT MEETING.

Letters of Regret from the Duke Of Ar
gyIe and others-Lord Hartington's Adj
dress-Terribiy Afraid of Gladstone
What Chamberlain Thinbs-Lord Sell
borne's Resolution.
LONDON, Dec 9-The conference of the
Liberal Unionists was held Tuesday, the
marquis Of Harrington occupied the chair,
and among the large number present were
Earl Derby, Lord Northbrook, Mr.. Goschen,
Sir Henry James and many other noblemen
and eminent commoners Letters Of regret
were read from the duke of Argyll, Lord
Tennyson AMI Mr. John BRIGHT, the latter
writing that he would not attend the confer
ence beCausa lie might there say something
that would give Iain TO thoS. lie would
rather not critlcise, to do which uOald also
be painful to himself For tbs reason he
feared TO speak or even TO write Mr. Glad
stones course he confessed. had greatly as
tonished and panied him. 1t seemed 10 him that
MIR. Gladstone had gone SO far on the wrong
course that there was no hope FOR his return
Mr.. Ola stones Irish allies were driving
matters to extremity, yet theT. was 10 word
coming from Parnell or Mr. Gladstone to re-
strain them
Mr. Chamberlain wrote that there was no
hope OF reuuting the Liberal party unless
Mr.. Gladstone's Irish scheme was aban-
done l.
Lord harrington in his speech on taking
the chair sad the policy which Mr. Glad
stone advocated was directly opposed to the
opinions of the entire Liberal party. The
I III. G
Liberal principles as the ajority who had
followed Gladstone, and, in Iced, i'll the mat
ter of the maintenance of the supremacy of
the imperia! parliament they were better
The speeches of Gladstone, HaTcourt, and
Morley, Harrington SAID were based on
granting to Ireland an executive govern
ment, and ignored the arguments Of the Lib
eral UuiOnlsts. Gladstone assumed that the
government was competing with him in a
scheme for the government of Ireland, but
the government was opposed to anything of
the kind, and were in no sense either com
peting with, or emulating Gladstone
The removal af the pres hi government
would result III the return of Gladstone, who
would then settle the Irish question in his
own way. Harrington endeavOred to con-
vince his hearers OF the Importance of al
ways bearing i'll mind that when questions
arise which might result in displacing the
government, the Liberal Uniouists are in
terested in sustaining tine government The
present agitation i'll Ireland, lie said, was not
spontaneous. 1t was created fOr political
purposes AMI was simply anarchy
Gladstone might not b. able to
control Dillon, but lie could
speak one word which would
Immediately have the effect to dissolve the
alliance between the agitators and the Lib
eral party. The people of England were
awaiting that word which if longer DELAYED
would seriously endauger the good mann of
the Liberal party [Checrsl
Lord Selborne moved resolution declar-
ing that the conference aiiirms its detarmin-
alton to use every effort to uphold the union
The resolution was passed hy acclamanon
The duke OF Westminster offered a r,,sau
ton which was seconded by Mr. Hcutaye,
favoring the establishment of Liberal Mon
list associations thvougut the country