Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-02-18
The Irish Executive Replies to o'Brien's
Structures.

Structures.
LONDON, February 17th.-In the Com
mons this evening Balfour resumed the
debate on the address in reply to the
Queens speech. He commented on the
vehement character of O'Brien's remarks
last evening, and said it was nothing but
what he had been accustomed to from the
same quarter. He consoled himself with
the reflection that attacks of ali even worse
character had been made against 0'Brien's
present allies. United Ireland had COM
pared Trevellyan to a skunk, a cuttlefsh
and a hangman. O'Brien had likewise
drawn a comparison between Gladstone
and Judas Iscariot, and for continuous
weeks United Ireland more than insinuated
that Treyellyan and Earl Spencer conspired
to shield men guilty of the most horrible
and nameless crimes.
OBrien-I stated that the result of their
misguided action was to shield those per
sons, but l never alleged that they did so
willfully.
Balfour said he would refer to the United
Ireland to prove his statements but in re-
ply to cries of Quote quote !" said be
would never think of sullying his lips by
repeating such language as had been used.
He denied in toto the allegations that Earl
Carnarvon had favored Dublin Parlia-
ment, and opened negotiations with Par
nell with the knowledge of Salisbury.
Proceeding TO compare the Crimes Acts
of 1862 and 1887, Balfour maintained that
the latter did not while the former did,
create new crimes. O'Brien had toasted
that his advice to people of Mitchellstown,
combined with the public opinion of Eng
land, had saved the people from wholesale
eviction. The Governments action, Bal
four declared, had been modified by neither
GLADSTONE TO THE FRONT.
Mr.. Gladstone followed Balfour. He
found little in the Chief Secretary's speech
that could assist them in getting at the
truth of the question before the House.
There was question whether the Conserv-
alive leaders had communicated with
Parnell on the subject of home rule. The
denials made by Balfour did not get rid OF
the Irish members assertions. Parnell had
stated that he had found himself in entire
agreement with Lord Carnarvon on the
home rule question. That had not been
denied.
Balfour, interposing, said the letter from
Carnarvon clearly implied that he did not
express an opinion upon home rule.
Gladstone replied that Carnarvon had
never explicitly denied Parnell's state
ment. Continuing, he said the Liberals
wished to give effect to the national aspira-
tions of Ireland. while having supreme re-
gard for the unity of the Empire Some
remarks of Balfour's, Gladstone said, had
apparently been leYeled at himself His
Gladstone 81 Nottingham speech, had been
absolutely misrepreSented as to its state
ment regarding the Irish Executives prac-
tice of obtaining information by permit
ting the police to concoct crime. He pro-
tested then, as now, against the practice. as
dangerous to society and odious in itself
He had never uttered an expression over
which he felt more rejoiced than his words
at Mitchellstown. He had used them for
the sake of preventing enormous mischief
and suffering probably bloodshed. II was
the agents of the law that were the break
ers OF the law at Mitchellstown. il was
CRUEL WANToN AND DIsGRACEFUL BLOOD
sHED
Almost without example Balfour had
become, by implication, a breaker Of the
law, for he gave the act of his authoritative
approval, as if it were to be the model rule
for the conduct of the police.
Gladstone declined to accept as authentic
the Government statistics of crime under
the Coercion Act uutil the cases cited were
thoroughly investigated The only case
given in detail had been met with point
blank contradiction. Let the Government
bethink themselves and consent to legislate
for Ireland as they did for England and
Scotland, in accordance with the consti-
tutionally-expressed wishes and perma-
nent convictions OF the people, and thus at
last present to the world the blessed spec
tacle of a truly, and not nominally, united
Empire. Loud cheers
THE AMENDMENT LOST.
Parnell's amendment was rejected-317
to 2z9.