The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-18
THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.
BALFoUR's WEAK KNEED POSITION
ON THE HOME RULE QUESTION.
The "Grand Old Man" Answers the
Chief Secretary In His Characteristic
way-His Powerful Appeal for Ireland
In Few Words.

LONDON, Feb. lin The Commons this
evening, Baliour, chief secretary Tor Ire
land, resumed the debate on tho address
in reply to the Queens speech He com
mented upon the vehement character oil
o'Briens attack last evening, and said it
was nothing but what he Q}aliour) was ac-
customed to from the same quarter in
weekly attacks in United Ireland He had
been told that he took strange pleasure
in mere purposolcss human suffering,
which to his languid life impaired delic-
ious excitement. l.aughter.] There was
much more said about him in the same
strain. lie consoled himself with the
reflection that attacks OF even
worse character had been made upon
o Brien's present allies. United Ireland
compared Sir G. o. 1revelyan to skunk,
cutie and hangman. OBricn had like
wise drawn comparison between Glad
stone and judas lscariot, and for continu-
GUS weeks United Irciand had insinuated--
more than insinuated that Trevelyan and
Earl Spencer had conspired TO shield men
guilty OF the most horrible and nameless
crimes. [Crics Of "IIcre, here
0Brien---I never did. ] stated that the
result OF their misguided act was shield
TO these persons, but never alleged they
did so wiliully.
Baliour said he could refer 10 words OF
United ireland 10 prove his statement.
lCrics OF "Quote."l Balfour replied:
Certainly not" He said he would never
think of sullying his lips byrepoating such
language [chcesl ms had been used toward
Sir Il. o. Trevclyan and Earl Spencer In
July, 1885. Blame from the source whence
such foulncss proceeded WIS indeed the
highest praise. [Cries OF ''llear, ""hear. !"
Referring next 10 the allegations that
Earl Carnarvon favored the Dublin Par
lament and opened negotiations with Par
nell with the knowledge OF Lord Sails
bury. Balfour quoted denials from Lord
Salisbury and Earl Carnarvon. The latter
declared ho had never said one word in
consistent with the Union. lie hoped
the dcnials would satisfy Parncll. They
would ut least satisfy Parliament. tChcers ]
Proceeding To compare the crimes act oil
'S2IS7, Baliour maintained the latter did
not while the former did create new
crimes For instance, the provision
Known rs the Curicw clause Of the act OF
1887, aimed to give the executive better
powers TO enforce the existing laws, and
facts proved how beneficial was its opera
ton. % Bren had boosted OF his advice
20 the people Of Mi,chclls,own combined
with portion Of the public opinion
In England, and saved people from
tIal II anti "a
action, Balfour declared, had been modi.
fled by neither. II was nothing new for
the Irish party 10 preach resistance 10
eyictions. That was their settled policy.
II had never been disavowcd.
0'Bricn rose TO explain that his advice
TO the Mitchcllstown people applied TO that
special case. lie denied he in any other
instance counseled resistance 10 the law.
Balfour next, referring 10 imprison-
mcnt Of members OF the House, twitled
Sir George Otto Trcvelyan with making n
weak remark IN the effect that II was n
sickcning thing for members OF Parliament
to he imprisoned. IL was sckening
thing that they should deserve Il, said
Balfour, and IL would have been much
worse II the government had given the
leading yiolators OF the law the special
privilege 10 defy II with impunity.
Childish fuss had been made over their
prison clothes, which was hardly worth
while noticing. Complaint had been made
Of the letter he wrote during o Brien's i'm.
prisonmcnt at the time when O'Brien's
friends were speaking every kind Of
calumny regarding his treatment with tho
object OF stirring the passions Of the
British democracy.
Mr.. Gladstone followed Mr.. Baliour. He
said he found little In the Chief Secretary
speech that tended 10 assist them In get
ting at the truth Of the questions before
the House. There WIS the question
whether the Conservative leaders had com
municalcd with Mr. Parncll on the subject
OF home rule. Tho dcnials mado by Mr..
lialfour did not get rid OF the Irish miners
assertions Mr.. Pancll had stated that he
found himself In entire agreement with
lord Carnarvon ON the home rule question.
That had not been denied. tChccn IL
was stated that Lord Cmnaryon spoke for
himself but he was Niccroy Of Ireland ut
the time for the Conservative government,
which now held that home rule In any
shape meant the separation Of Ireland
from the empire.
Mr.. Balfonr, inlcrposing, said that the
letter from Lord CarnaryOn clearly implied
that lac did not cxpr~s an opinion on
home rule 10 Mr.. Parncll.
Mr.. Gladstone replied that Lord Carnar.
won had never denied Mr.. parnells state.
ment. II he did, where werc his words
In denial1 Continuing he said that the
Liberals wcro called scparatisis, because
they wished 10 give effect to the national
aspirations Of Ireland, while having 81.
prcme regard for the unity Of the
empire. Some Of the remarks Of Mr..
Baliour, Mr.. Gladstone said, had ap.
parcntly been lcvclcd at himself
Ills (Gladsione's) Nottingham speech
has been absolutely misropnucnted ~ 10
the statement regarding the Irish exccu.
tiye's practice Of obtaining information by
permitting the police 10 concoct crime.
lie protested then ~ now against the prac.
iice ~ dangerous a. society and odiour IN
itself. lie had never uttered words over
which he felt morc rcjoiccd than his words
about Mitchellsiown. lie used them Tor
the sake oi preventing enormous mischief
and suffering. probably bloodshcd. The
agents Of the Law we're the breakers oi the
Law nt Mitchellsiown. IL wasa cruel, wan.
ton, disgmociul bloodshcd, almost without
example. MIR Baliour had become by i'm.
plication a breaker Of the law, for he gave
the act bis authoritative approval, M II Il
were 10 be the model rule Tor the conduct
Of the police. Mr.. Gladstone declined 10
accept as authentic the government stats.
tics OF crime under the coercion act until
the cases cited were thoroughly invcsti.
gated. The only case given In detail had
been met with point blank contradiction.
Surprising tile government had moment
AIRY appearance Of success from the
nIlnrnlInn Of iho cnrrrinn net