The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-02-18
sALFoUR AND GLADSTONE.
The Chief secretay's Attempt to
Justify Cruelty and Oppression,
Met With an Eloquent Plea by Clad
stone for Irish Liberty.
Party Distinctions Forgotten In a
Tribute to Gladstone.

AAO COuhiCubCO upon Luc NCuSulCnb Oh6AaStCA
of Mr.. O'Brien's attack last evening, and
said it was nothing but what he (Balfour)
was accustomed to from the same quarter in
the weekly attacks in the United Ireland.
His palate for such stuff was jaded by hay-
ing had to consume diet Of the same kind
for some time. He consoled himself with
the reflection that attacks Of even worse
character had been made upon Mr.. O'Brien's
present allies. The United Ireland had
compared Trevelyan to a skunk. cuttlefsh
and hangman. Mr.. o'Brien had likewise
drawn comparison between Mr., Gladstone
and Judas Iscariot. For continuous weeks
the United Ireland had insinuated that Ire
velyan and Earl Spencer conspired to shield
men guilty Of the most horrible and name
less Of crimes Cries Of Hearl Hearll
Mr.. o'Br.en-"I never did 1 stated the
result Of their misguided action was to
shield those persons, but never alleged that
they did so wilfully."
Mr.. Balfour said he could refer to the
words in the United Ireland to prove the
statement [Cries Of QuoteD
Mr.. Balfour-"Certainly not" He then
said he would never think Of sullying his
lips by repeating such language tCheersl
as had been used toward Trevelyan and
Earl Spencer in July, 1885. Blame from the
source whence such foulness proceeded was
indeed the highest lpraise. [Cries Of Hearl
Hearl
Referring to the allegations that Earl Car
narvon favored a Dublin parliament and mad
opened negotiations with Mr.. Parnell, with
the knowledge Of Lord Salisbury, Mr.. Bal
four quoted the denials OF Salisbury and
Carnarvon. He hoped the denlals woald
satisfy Mr.. Parnell. They would, at least,
the the crimes acts Of 1852 and 1857, Baifour
maintained the latter did not, while the for
mer did, create new crimes. The curfew
clause Of the act OF 1887 was aimed TO give
the executive better powers to enforce the
cial was its operation. O'Brien had bQasted
that his advice to the people OF Mitdbells-
town, combined with a portion OF public
opinion In England, saved the people from
wholesale eviction. Government action, Mr..
Balfour declared, had been modified by
neither. 1t was nothing new for the Irish
party to preach resistance TO eyietions. That
was their settled policy, and had never been
disavowed.
Mr.. O'Brien rose to explain his advice to
the Mitchellstown people and applied 1t to
special case. He denied he had In any other
instance counselled resistance to law.
Referring to the Imprisonment OF the
members Of the House, the speaker twitted
Trevelyan with making weak remark to
the effect chat 1t was Sickening thing for
the members Of parliament TO be imprisoned.
IL 1t was slckenlng thing they. should de-
serve it. said BalfOur, and would have been
much worse II the government had given the
leading yiolators OF the law special privi-
lege to defy it with impunity. A childish
fuss had been made over prison clothes
which it was hardly worth noticing.
Complaint was made Of the letter he wrote
during Mr.. O'Brien's imprisonment at the
time when 0'Brien's friends were spreading
every kind Of calumny regarding his treat
ment with the object Of stirring the passions
of the British democracy. All the letter
stated was that O'Brien was suffering from
weak lungs and was Of an exctable dlsposi-
tion. Regarding the alleged t0rtures In the
prisons, he had requested the English prls-
on inspectors to make a special Inquiry, the
result showing the charges utterly untrue.
Mr.. O'Brien's health improved In prison.
ICries OF hear. He was two pounds heavier
when he lett than when ne went In.
Mr.. O'Brien-"rhat Is inaccurate. Twas
FIVE pounds lighter"
Mr.. Balfour said he could lay upon the
table Of the House official reports on the rise
and fall Of O'Brien's weight. Laughter
Turning to the operations OF the crimes act,
Mr. BalfOur cOntended that the condition OF
Ireland was immensely improved compared
with the period Of the Gladstone govern
ment.
Mr.. Gladstone Replies.
Mr. Gladstone followed Mr.. Balfour. He
said he found little in the chief secretary's
speech that tended to assist in getting at the
truth of the questions before the House. 1t
was a question whether the Conservative
leaders had communicated with Mr.. Parnell
en- the subject of home rule. Denials by Mr.
Balfour did not get rid of the Irish members,
assertions. Mr.. Parnell had stated that he
found himself entirely agreed with Earl Car
narvon on The home rule question. That had
not been denied. lCheers.l 1t was stated
that Carnarvon spoke for himself, but ne was
viceroy of Ireland at the time for the Con-
servative government, which now held that
home rule, in any shape, meant the separa-
tion OF Ireland from the empire.
Mr.. Balfour interposing and said the letter
from Earl Carnarvon clearly implied that he
did not express an opinion upon home rule
to Mr.. Parnell.
Mr.. Gladstone replied that Earl Carnavon
never explicitly denied Mr.. Parnelps state
ment. If be did, where wero his words in
denial? The Liberals were called sepa.as!stS
because they wished TO give effect 70 the ma
tional aspiration of Ireland while having
regard for the unity Of the empire. Some
remarks Of Mr.. Balfour, Gladstone said, had
apparently beeu levelled at himself His
(Gladstone's) 81 Nottingham speech bad been alb
solutely misrepresented as to the statement
regarding the Irish executives practice Of
obtaining information by permitting the po-
lice to conduct crime. He protested then, as
now, against the practice as dangerous to
society and odious in itself. He had never
| uttered words over which he felt more re-
| jOiced than the words about MitchellstOwn.
| He used them for the sake Cf preventing
| enormous mischief and suffering and proba-
| bly, blOodshed. 1t was the agents OF law
| that were the breakers of law at Mitehells-
| town. 1t was cruel, wantOn and disgraeeful
| bloodshed, almost without example. Mr..
Balfour had become by implication the
breaker Of law ;he gave the act his authorita-
| tive and approval, as IL 1t were to be the
| model and rule for the conduct OF the police.
| Mr.. Gladstone declined to accept as authe1-
| tic government statistics Of the crime under
| the coercion act until the cases cited are
| thoroughly investigated. The only case
| given In detail had been met with a point
| blank contradiction. Supposing the govern
ment had mOmentary appearance OF sue
| cess from the operation of the coercion act,
were they going forever to legislate In the
| same lines? He had never heard ministers
express confidence in their ability make per-
manent resistance to the policy OF home
rule. lParnellite cheers.
Mr.. Gladstone did not disguise the strength
Of the combination against home rule, which
| included nearly the whole Of the wealth, and
| all the elements OF social strength belonging
| to high rank and station In the country, but
| the Irish nation and growing English popu-
/ lar feeling was on the side OF home rule. To
| delay the settlement OF a question Of this kind
| between nations was dangerous In the ex-
/ treme. III resistance 70 the national voice OF
/ Ireland was pushed too far. those who now
| guided the mind Of that nation might lose
| their power and be displaced by ruder and
/ more dangerous spirits. Let the govern
| ment bethink themselves and consent 70 leg
isate for ireland as they did for England
/ and Scotland. in accordance with the cOnsti
| tutiOnally expressed wishes and permanent
| convictions Of the people and thus, al last
| present to the world the blessed spectacle OF
a truly and not nominally united empire.
| Loud cheersI.
The Speeches.
Mr.. Balfour's speech has greatly enhanced
his reputation as a parliamentary speaker.
Gladstole's reply is considered one Of the
finest efforts Of his life, but more rhetorical
/ than argumentive. He had to appeal for as.
/ sistance once or twice In reading his notes
i and said 10 the House: This | regret Il
| say Is the only point In which begin to finc
| that warning has been given that 1 am NOT
i as Young as / was" Both sides OF IN,
| House gave sympathetic cheers.
Foreign Notes.
The election In the West Division OF South
wark, yesterday, resulted in a GladstoniaI
l yiqforV