Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-26
THE IRISH DEBATE AGAIN.
Mr.. Morley Attacks and Mr.. Balfour
Defends the Government of ireland.


In the house of commons yesterday Mr.. Nor
ley moved the adoption Of his amendment to
the address in reply to the queens speech, con-
demning the administration in Ireland as harsh,
unjust, and oppressive, and asking that meas
ures to content the Irish and re-establish real
union of Great Britain and Ireland be adopted.
In his speech in support Of his motion Mr.
Morley asked why, if the condition of Ireland
was better, as claimed by the government, pro-
ceedings against Irish members of the house of
commons we've more frequent? He strongly
condemned the singular lack of prudence, FORE
sight and care that had been shown by the adj
ministration in Ireland during the last few
months. The arrest of Father McFadden at
Gweedore, he said. was marred by every bad
quality that could accompany a judicial act. 1t
was worthy of the worst exploits of the rufian
judge in Scotland who. a century ago. said:
Give me a prisoner and I'll find the law"
Mr.. Morley referred at length to the recent ar
rests in Ireland, and ridiculed the idea of ar
resting men for such offenses as cheering Mr..
William O'Brien, &c. The time swiftly
coming when an irresistible appeal would as
cend from the nation, asking her majesty to
recur to the sense of the people, so that they
might decide the great issues now dividing the
government and the opposition. The opposi-
ton required the fullest explanation regarding
the employment of Irish magistrates, crown
solicitors and police in framing the Times
case. They demanded to know why docu-
ments were handed to the Times for the pur-
poses of plot to which it might be proved the
government had infatuatedly become the dupes
and accessories
Mr.. Balfour. upon rising TO reply. was
greeted with cries of "Pgott." This was con-
tnued until the speaker peremptorily insisted
upon the house coming to order.
Mr. Balfour said he was not surprised that
Morley taken ADVANTAGE N
position to make charges against the govern
ment at a time when he knew his words would
pass current in the country because the govern
ment could not possibly take up his challenges.
Mr.. Balfour contended that the state of Ire
land was improving wherever the plan of cam
palgn had not penetrated. There were at the
present moment &c. 900 persons in the ordinary
prisons of the kingdom, while only one hun
dred were imprisoned in Ireland under the
crimes act. If the object of punishment was
to prevent crime, never had SO great result
been attained at the cost of so little suffering.
The statistics of agrarian crime showed a mar
velous Improvement i'll the condition of the
country since the crimes act was passed. Ii
OConnell was still alive he would shrink from
the means employed by the gentlemen below
the gangway to render government impossible.
He did not believe that the principles OF the
opposition would win the country, but he was
certain that such principles would destroy the
best compacted empire that was ever put to-
gether by the wit of man.
In the course of the debate Mr.. Sexton in
dignantly protested against the presence of
Houston, the witness for the Times, within the
precincts of the house. The speaker replied
that he was ignorant of the circumstances. but
would inquire. Later MIR. Sexton received an
intmation that Houston's name had been re-
moved from the lobby list.
Sixty Parnellite members of parliament met
last night to reappoint officers for the session.
Mr.. Dillon presided.
Mr.. Sexton gave notice in the house that he
would introduce a bill to amend the law re-
lating to contempt of court. This announce
ment was received with cheers