Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-02-15
The Leader Of the Opposition Speaks
Against Home Rule.
IMPRACTICAL, UNNECESSARY,
And Intending to Sever the United
Kingdom, is His View Of Mr..
Gladstone s 1deasure-It Would
Plunge Affairs Into Hopeless
Observation-Disclosures Will OPP
pose the Measure to the Very
Last-Not Much Interest in
Baltour's Speech.

LONDON, February lin the House OF
Commons to-day the Rt. Hon. A. j. Bal
four. the Conservative leader, replied to
Mr.. GladStone's speech Of last evening.
He said:
''The House, first Of all. has the right
TO inquire: Why is any bill, good or
bad required. This is the question
which the Prime Minister has tried TO
answer on two famous occasions-once IN
1856 aud again last evening. The dilemma
which the Prime Minister placed before
the House in 1856 has proved to be no dl-
lemma at all, and we are reduced 10 the
conclusion that it is deemed necessary to
shake the foundations Of the constitution
of the country, not because coercion is In
active operation in Ireland, but because
we have on the statute book permanent
act for coercion which may or may not be
required. Hear, hear
1.-THE Prime Minister must see that Dill
of this magnitude is hardly justified by any
condition Of affairs like that from which
the necessity OF the crimes act arose. BY
universal admission there are two causes
of trouble in Ireland, one the agrarian con-
dition Of the country, the other the
fact that it is possible owing TO
the unhappy history Of the
land question for persons with political
object TO serve to arouse criminal agita-
tion throughout Ireland. | do not care
which of these alternatives is chosen.
Which ever is chosen IL does not point. 10
the necessity. OF home rule, but rather TO
the impossibility of its adoption. 1t is
criminal to attempt TO set up in Ireland a
legislature practically Independent OF the
imperial parliament. BY what right were
they to proceed to cut off Ireland from the
rest Of the United Kingdom, because a
majority for an arbitrarily selected area
wanted home rule. Conservative cheers
and Irish laughter. When protestant
Ulster with an absolutely unanimous voice
declared against the measure with aversion
and adherence then majorities ought not 10
count: they become mere local ebullitions
Hear and leughter). Ulster at least de-
served exceptional treatment. for which no
provision appeared in trouble placed before
the House"
Proceeding to discuss the proposals Of
the bill in detail Mr.. Balfour contended
that the plan outlined for dealing with the
constabuary and with the civil servants Of
the government would certainly lead 10
the infiction Of great hardships.
Mr.. Balfour next proceeded to criticlse
the plan of creating three constituencies
of different forms in Ireland, sending mem
-bers to the Irish assembly, TO the Imperial
lHfllaNQ6nL
Der. The adoption Of such a scheme would,
he declared, plunge affairs into condition
of hopeless ENHANCEMENT. Hear, hear
"When the Irish members ask for
colonial legislature, they ask for what is
absolutely impossible. If not already i'm
possible by the constitution, such legisla-
ture is rendered impossible by the very
bill which we are discussing. Cheers.
AS to the financial proposals, why ought
this country TO give 10 Ireland l7,OOO,O0O.
The only reason which l can conceive is the
confession we have been beaten and must
pay this amount as q sort OF war indem-
nifty.
"The land agitation began in 1SsO;under
the guidance of an able politician, who
POSTPONED, perhaps for q generation, per-
our wishes. Although great harm was
thus done, although our children
and grandchildren will still feel
the effect Of revolution in
ireland aud betrayal in England, still
| think the country and the House have
the power 10 say now: This process shall
20 no farther. Much as they have suffered
in the past from vaccilation, they will at
all events now put an end TO this project
absolutely impossible Of execution in It's
details rnd even worse In
the general principals by which the
Prime Minister, under the guise Of draw
ing together in closer harmony the differ
ent parts Of the United Kingdom, intends
to found institutions which must tend ever
and ever. as time goes on 10 separate them
in temper, mind and ultimately in national
lty" Repeated Unionist cheers.
Prof. Bryce, chancellor Of the Duchy of
Lancaster, replying TO Mr.. Balfour, de-
clared that part Of the government iustif-
cation for bringing the bill forward was
the failure Of coercion. Mr.. Balfour while
Secretary for Ireland had been obliged 70
abandon the lines of coercion upon which
ne had started out He had failed to rec
oncile Ireland either.by bludgeon or Drioes.
Irish cheers.
w. Ruswell, Unionist, said that Ulster
would oppose the move 10 the last. The
bill contained nothing to prevent religious
persecution.
On the motion Of Lord Randolph Church
I'll the debate was then adjourned.
Compared with its condition yesterday
the House was deserted.