Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-02-15
MIR. GLADSTONE SPEAKS.

Crowds Flock to Commons TO Hear
Home Rule Bill introduced.
LONDON, Feb. l3.-Ihere was mad
rush to-day to hear Gladstone speak.
Mr.. Gladstone entered the House of
Commons at half-past 3. Every Liberal
and Irish Nationalist in the House
stood up and greeted him with pro-
longed and enthusiastic cheers When
Mr.. Gladstone arose at 43 minutes past
8 to introduce the home rule bill
there was another demonstration SO
earnest, SO enthusiastic and irrepress-
IDLE that 1t was several minutes before
he could be heard.
Mr.. Gladstone spoke as follows, in q
clear, strong and resonant voice:
l may, without imprOpriety, remind the
House that the voices which usually
pleaded the cause Of Irish Self-goYer!iment
IN Irish affairs, have within these walls,
during the last seven years, been almost
entirely mute | return, therefore to the
period of 1856. when proposition of this
kind was submitted on the part Of the gov
eminent Of the day, and l beg to remind
the House of the position then taken by
all the promoters of these measures. We
transactions with Ireland where the
two roads parted. "YOu have"
we said, "to choose one or
the other.'' One is the way ct Irish
autonomy according to the conceptions !
have just referred to; the other Is the way
of coercion. That is our contention. 1t
will be the recollection of the House now
that that contention was most StOutly and
largely denied. 1t was said over and
over again by many members opposite:
1--WE are not cOercioniStS; we do not
reject that alternative, and neither can we
adopt it." ministerial cheers. That
assertion of theirs was undoubtedly
sustained by the proposals, especial
~ from the dlssentlent Liberals
Of various plans dealing with Irish
fell = entirely short short in principle
and in scope of Irish seIf-goy eminent,
yet were of no trivial or mean
Importance. They went Tar beyond what
had heretofore been usually proposed in
the way Of local self-gOvernment for Ire
land.
Well, what has been the result of the
dilemma as 1t was then put forward on this
side of the House and repealed by the
other? Has our contention that the choice
lay between autonomy and coercion
been juStisfed or not? Liberal cheers.
What has become of each and all of those
important schemes 1or giving Ireland
Self-government in provinces, and
giving her even q central es-
tablishment in Dublin with limited
powers? All vanished into thin air, but
the reality remains. The roads were still
there autonomy or coercion. The choice
lay between them, and the choice MADE was
to repel autonomy and embrace coercion.
You cannot always follow coercion in an
absolutely uniform method
In 1886, for the first time, coercion was
imposed on Ireland in the shape Of q per-
manent law added to the statute book.
This state of things constituted an offend
ing against the harmony and traditions OF
Selt-gOVernment. There was distinct and
violent breach Of promise OF faith by
which union was obtained. That perma-
Eent system Of repression inflicted upon
the country state Of things which could
not continue to exist. 1t was impossible
to bring the inhabitants of the country
under coercion into sympathy with the CO..
erclOn power
IL IS to me astonishing that so little.
weight is attached by many to the fact
that before 1SS5-before 1885, lndeed-IriSh
wishes of selt-government were repre-
sented only by a small minority. Since
1885, when the wide extension Of the
franchise was protected by the secret,
ballot, IrelandS position has been i'm
proved III Parliament. In 1886 there were
S5 Nationalist, or more than iye-eighths.
[CheerSI They have been reduced from
IS to 80 under circumstances somewhat
peculiar hear, hearI: and [ must frankly
own TO myself, among others, for reasons
totally and absolutely unInteIIigible.
Loud cheers. Let us look at the state Of
the case as it now stands. There are but
80 out Of 100; that is to say, the wishes OF
1IGldIlCt 1OI 1IlSu S6L-SON0FnuIcnG IN 1rlSIl
matters are represented only by
four-htths.., Laughter The honor
able gentlemen seem to have no re-
spect for such a majority as that.
Do they recollect, sir, that never in En-
gland has there been such a majority ?
[Cheers.l No Parliament of the last fifty
years has come within measurable distance
of it. If there be anything in the
great principle Of self-gOvernment, which,
II It pc reality, never can work ex-
the laws of representation, at any rate the
voice, OF the Irish people, the Perslstency
Of the Irish people in delivering tina voice,
and the peaceful CONSTITUTIONS c.:rEm-
stances under which it has beer ce:ivi,ed
ministerial cheers and opposition lfagh.
teri constitute great fact in history.
1t is said-and admit with truth-that
Ireland is not a united country. l don't
deny that the division which exists
is a fact of great moment In
that can render Ireland formidable would
become much more formidable. Were
Ireland united all opposition would van
lsh as shadow. Hear, hear. Ireland
is not united in this sense, that in one pOr-
ton of the country not mere majority Of
the higher classes but considerable pop
ular feeling is opposed to the present ma
tlOnal movement.
l will not attempt to measure this numer-
ical strength of the. minority. 1t is said
in the North of Ireland is arrayed
in unalterable opposition to home
rule. Unhappily at the successful
instigation of those whose plot it was to di-
vide the people of Ireland when they
were united at the close of the last CEN
fury, through the medium mainly Of
Orange lodges and through religious ami
mostly, there was an alteration of feeling,
but the PrOtestantS of Ireland, during the
period OF the independent Irish Parliament,
were themselves not only willing but
Jealous and enthusiastic supporters of
Irish nationality. InaSmuch as their poll
tical life was at that period more highly
developed. they led on the Roman Catho-
lie population in the political movement.
which distinguished that period. TCheerS.
This is written broadcast upon the history
OF time. Genuine national sentiment,
in the sense Of national unity, had
at one time prevailed among the North of
Ireland Professionals. We who have seen
them alter, not through their own fault,
are not ready to be persuaded that they
will not alter back again to the sentiments
of their own ancestors cheersl and with
oil n l,OT,S