The Irish standard., 1891-08-15
SIR VIM. VERNON HARCOUR!!
He Replies to Joseph Chamberlain and
Defines the Liberal Policy of
Home Rule.
A GENUINE IRISH PARLIAMENT,
Give tnat to the Irish People and the
Irish Question Will Be
Solved.

The Tories have for some time been
trying and are nov spreading reports
and doing all they Gao to make it appear
that a large portion of the Liberals OF
England are frightened at the action OF
the Catholic clergy at recent elecslons III
ireland, and are beginning to make up
their minds that it would not be safe TO
give Home Rule to ireland because, 1t Is
alleged, ireland would then be "under
the domination Of the priests.
For these rumors and allegations there
is not the smallest foundation III fact
British Liberals of all creeds and sec
tions are as staunch now on the ques<loh
of Home Rule as ever, and the sort OF
Home Rule in which they believe-the
Ho,ne Rule that VIII be fully acceptable
To lrishmen-is being every DAY pro-
claimed from their platforms. instances
in proof might be given from week to
week. Subjoined is presented one #hlch
il very notable. # is an extract from
speech delivered at great Liberal and
Radical meeting in london some three
weeke ago by Sir William Vernon Har"
court, q man of commanding influence in
the counsels Of the Liberals, and gener-
allv RECOGNIZED as the future leader OF
tbe oarty in succession to Mr.. Gladstone.
AT this meating MIR. T. Schnadhorst, she
great organlzer~in chief Of the Liberal
Associations Of England, vas present
and took part in the proceedings. Here
;s how Sir William HsrcOurt defined
what the Liberal doctrine of Home Rule
10:
T. am speaking ON the very spot, AS Che
Chairman has told you, where, SIX years
ago, for the first time, Mr.. oseph Cham
berlai1a addressed you> Now recently
Mr.. Chamberlain has expressed great
curiosity to know what the Liberal doc
trine Of Home Er7le is. [ am going to
satisfy him tonight, J. will tell him in
language with whicsa he will be content,
and according to my experience IT is the
only language with which be will be
content, and SHAT is his own. On this
very spot on which T now stand, and in
this very month six years ago, Nix. Cham
terIain, for the first time ! think with
the authority of g. minister, or one who
had been almost Immediately before a
minister, proclaimed the doctrine OF
Home Rule for Ireland, and I have al
ways given him credit for it. He said
"It is a national question as we'll as o
parochal question:, and the paclficat1on
Of ireland at this xnoment depends
nov mark those words 81 helie7e on the
concession to Ireland of the right TO
govern itself in The matter Of it's purely
domestic business. Are you content
after nearly thirty years failure 30 renew
once more the dreary experience OF re-
pressive legislation? Is it not discvedit-
able to see that even now it is only by
unconstitutional means that we are able
to secure peace and order in one portion
Of her MAJESTY s dominions. | don't be-
lieve that the great majority Of English
men have the slightest conception OF the
system under which this free nation at
tenn pts TO rule the sister country. 1t is
3 system which is founded OF the bay
onets Of 80, 600 soldiers encamped perma-
nentIy as in hostile country. 1T ia a
system as completely centralized and
bureaucratic as that which Russia gov
erns Poland or as that which prevailed
in Nanice under the Austrian rule. An
Irishnan at this moment cannot move O.
step, he cannot lift finger in any
paroch;al, municipal, Or educational
work without baing confronted with, in
terfered with, controlled by an English
official appointed by foreign govern
ment. and without shade or shadow Of
representative authority. :. >. That is
the work to which the new Parliament
will be called, and believe that by its
successful accomplishment it will do
more to secure the strength. the char
acter, and the influence OF the nation
than by the addition OF any amount,
however large. TO the expenditure CT the
nation for naval or military purposes
That it Will 60 further to maintain our
weight in the councils of Europe than by
any amount Of bluster in our relations
with foreign countries, and that it will
do more to promote the true interests OF
the people of the United Kingdom than
by any extension Of the Empire, which
it is our business to govern we'll and
wisely before we seek to multiply our re-
sponsbilities or to enlarge our obl1g a.
ton
Excellent sentiments admirably ex-
pressed And there you have the Lib
eral doctrine of Home Rule. It is worth
while to pause upon it aud just to ex-
anime it. Let us see what are the
propositions it contains. First Of all it
is q national question, and not, as Mr..
Chamberlain explains, parochial ques-