The herald., 1893-02-14

that relates to the crown, regency or
vice-royalty. Subjects of peace and war,
public defense, treaties and foreign rela-
tions, dignities, titles, law and treason,
do not belong to the Irish legislature.
The law of alienage does not belong to
it, nor anything that belongs to external
trade. Coinage and other subsidiary
subjects, and other incapacities imposed
are similar to those contained in the bill
Of 1886. These provide for the security
Of religious freedom, the safeguard of ed
ucation and the security of personal
freedom. Then we retain the viceroy-
atty Of Ireland, but divest it Of the party
character heretofore borne by making
the appointment run six years, subject
TO the revokin9 power Of the crown, and
post freed from all religious disability.
[Cheers.1
''Then comes clause providing for
full revolution of the executive power
from the sovereign upon the viceroy.
Then comes an important provision for
the creation of an executive committee
or privy council for Ireland. We pro-
pose to make this the executive council
for ordinary affairs, or the cabinet of the
viceroy. 1t appeared to us highly in
convenient to alter the number of the
legislative assembly. We therefore
leave the number at 103 and fix the
term OF five years."
THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
Next as to legislative council Glad
stone said they came to the conclusion
that q nominated council would be q
weak council, and therefore propose and
elective council. "How do we differ
entiate this council from a popular as
sembly2 We propose to fix the number
at AS, with an eight years term Of Office.
The term of the popular assembly being
the lesser, the bill must include a pro-
vision for meeting whaS is called dead.
lock. In case where a bill is adopted
by the assembly more than once,
and where there is AN inter-
val OF two years between the two adop.
tions, or the dissolution OF parliament,
then upon its second adoption the two
assemblies may be required to meet and
the fate OF the bill is to be decided in
joint assembly. [Oheers.l Next, all
appeals shall lie to the privy council
alone, not to the council and lords. The
privy council may try the question Of
the invalidity of any Irish act.
"Other clauses provide for the security
of emoluments Of existing judges and
officers generally. Then there is a
clause intended to correspond with the
colonial validity law, the effect of which
is, If the Irish legislature should pass
any act in any way contrary to the acts
of the imperial parliament, such law
shall be good except in 30 far as it is
contrary to the imperial enactment.
1.-TWO exchequer judges shall be ap.
pointed, under the authority of the
crown, mainly for financial business.
Besides the exchequer judges, it is pro-
vided that for six years all judges shall
be appointed as now. We do not re-
serve for the imperial parliament the
power to fix emolumente. These will
be fixed in Ireland, and the effect will
be. to establish joint control of these ap-
pointments.
''The month of September is probably
the most convenient month for the as
sembly to meet. There is, therefore, a
clause providing that it shall meet on
the first Tuesday in September. Pro-
longed Irish cheers.l
THE coNsTABULARY MUST GO.
ssWa prnposa tha- GRADUAL reduction
and ultimate dissolution or disappear
ance of the constabulary force, with the
discharge of every obligation towards
them in such way as will not adversely
affect the interests of that honorable
force. During the period of transition
they are to be under the control Of the
viceroy. 1t is contemplated that they
will be replaced by force owing its ex-
istence to the Irish authorities in local
areas.
IRISH REPRESENTATION.
tOn the important subject Of the re-
tention of the Irish members In the i'm.
perisl parliament, there are strong argu-
ments which may be alleged in defense
of the proposition. Although do not
at all admit that parliamentary suprem.
scy depends upon the retention of the
members, yet quite admit that the re.
tention Of the members has great prac-
tical Importance, because it exhibits su-
premacy in q manner Ineligible to the
people. Besides it gives Ireland full
voice in all parliamentary matters.
Hear! Hear!
1.-THE British budget will more or less
influence Irish pecuniary balances. II
is therefore desirable, for the purpose ei
mitigating any inconvenience which
might thence arise, that Ireland should
have something to say about the British
budgets. know no argument against
the retention of the Irish members at
Westminster, but do not think it in the
wit of man to devise plan for their re-
tention which would not be open to
some serious practical difficulties.
| [Cheers.] Their retention involves two
points: First, as to numbers, and sec-
ondly, as to the voting power. Now as
to the first question, that of num-
bers, the population Of Great Britain
has increased while that of Ireland has
diminished and now reached q point
that whereas formerly it was entitled to
103 members, it would, according to this
same ratio, now have 80. imply that
representation in the house from Ire
land would be composed of 80 Irish gen.
tlemen. Now comes the great difficulty
what voting power are these 80 mem
bers to have? Ireland is to be repre-
sented here fully, that Is my first postu-
late; my second postulate is, Ireland to
be invested with separate powers SUBJ
ject, no doubt, to imperial authority,
yet still with separate powers over Irish
affairs.
"Then the question before us ie: Is
she not to vote so strongly upon matters
purely British? There ia reason in both
ways, We cannot find an absolutely
accurate line Of cleavage between ques-
tions that are imperial and those that
are Irish; unless the Irish members are
allowed to vote on all British questions,
they must have too little or too much.
We do not see possibility of excluding