The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-03-28
Balfour Attacks the Government
Policy in Ireland.
A VERY EXCITING DEBATE.
The Desire OF the Government Was to
Preserve Order.
After Prolonged Discussion the Motion
of Balfour Is Rejected and the
Government Sustained by a
Majority of Forty-sevsn.

LONDON, March 27.-IH the commons
tonight Balfour, leader of the Unionists,
spoke at length on MS motion that the
Irish executive be censured for condoning
serious offenses and thus bringing the
law into general contempt. He made an
attack upon the government with vigor
and evoked repeatedly cheers from the
opposition benches. The present de-
piorable state OF affairs in Ireland, Bal
four said, was largely in consequence of q
compact between the government
and the forces of disorder. Ac-
cUrding TO the terms of unwritten
concordat the government had coquetted
with amnesty, and encouraged dishonest
tenants, through the evicted tenants
commission, to disown obligations and
treat landlords as law-abiding people
would treat nalefactOrs. The govern
ment had fomented outright by suspend
ing the Crimes act and instigated crimes
by the release of dynamiters.
The government had not hesitated to
take steps which were in direct antagon-
ism to decisions OF the courts. A new
reign of terror had been established. Re
cent outtrages 10 the counties of
Mayo, Clare, Limerick and Kerry
show plainly how remarkable has
been recrudeSCence of crime IN
Ireland under the present government. In
one of these counties Intimidation was
carried so far that all writs were sent
through the posts, as the baiIiffs did not
dare deliver them in person. The prac-
tice OF bOycotting was revived in all its
pristine ugliness and the government,
knowing, perhaps, the uselessness Of
prosecuting offenders, had taken no steps
to protect the victims.
In ansWerings Balfour, Morley, chief
secretary for Ireland, directed attention to
the fact that this was the fifth vote of
censure moved within eight weeks. The
leading charge against the government
was that they had concordat with and
tried to govern Ireland in SYM
pathy with the Irish people. CHEERS
If that was heinous concordai
he would plead guilty to being party to
it. As to the specific charge that he had
refused police protection 10 those who en-
orced the law he would say that he de-
clined to protect night seizures and felt
justified IN this action, The law on the
subject was far from clear and the highest
authorities differed in their Interpretation
of it. Morley then rebutted in detail
Balfour's assertion that agrarian crime
! in Ireland had increased under the Liberal
government. With q multiplicity o.,
statistics he proved that under the present
executive this class OF crime had decreased
II per cent.
| 4. w. Russell. member for South
Tyrone, and Arthur Hugh Smith Barry
| Conservative, for South Huntingdon,
spoke in support of Balfour's motion.
| Gladstane reproached the opposition
with resorting to a license of language
they could not possibly justify with the
facts. the present government, he said,
| had az great desire and as strong interest
as any of their predecessors in preserving
law and order in Ireland. The present
government had, however, q different
| view as to the best manner OF dealing
/ with people. The results were already
apparent and proved how successfully
the new policy operated. The severity OF
| sentences in Ireland upon the boy Foley
and other political offenders, Gladstone
continued, was a feature of a coercive
system. Such sentences could never
have been passed in England. The pres
emit government sought to abolish tins ex-
ceptionaI mode Of treatment and sought
to establish more of profitable system of
administration.
They aimed at laying the foundation of
order in the hearts OF the people of Ire
land. The party refused to believe that
the Irish people were afflicted with some
peculiar curse which prevented them from
approaching the blessings OF civilization Il.
The Liberal party believed the Irish peO-
pie were as capable of being governed on
approved principles as the Peaple OF other
countries. The present. euOrb OF tne cnlei
secretary for Ireland was to realize IN
practice the fruit of this belief.
Lord Randolph Churchill defended the
Irish Judges against charge OF having
passed too harsh sentences. His own
experience had been that one concession
to the Irish people was followed invaria-
bly, by another. He pronounced the
proposed vote Of censure more than
JUSTIFIED by Morley's endeayor to hush
up and conceal Irish crime from knowI-
edge of parliament. he charged the gov
ernment with having set aside the will Of
parliament when they abandoned two
clauses Of the crimes act. The Unioists,
Lord Randolph said, founed their hopes
on the truth of their principles and
looked to the English people for justice
and judgment. Division on Balfour'
motion resulted in a majority OF AZ for the
government.