The Irish standard., 1893-06-03


House adopt the word Parliament Tor
sLegisla allure" on the plea that the former
word would be more pleasing to the Irish
people in recalling the glories OF the
Grattan parliament of the last century.
After lengthy debate the amendment
was rejected by an overwhelming major
ity, only the Parnellites and q handful OF
Tory members favorlng the change in the
nomenclature Mr.. Redmond in letter
to United Ireland blames the Mccarthy
ties for voting against the change OF
name, though Justin Mccarthy in an
article in the Nineteenth Century had
approved of the word parliament" The
young statesman further says that it
Parnell we're alive he would have re-
garded it as lowering of the national
dignity and honor to vote with English
parties against the me-honored and
ancient title of "Irish Parliament" Mr..
Redmond's second amendment met the
same fate as the first. The leader OF the
opposition, Mr.. Balfour, said he should
be disposed to vote>.for the use OF the
word Senate" though he objected TO
the term :House of Commons" where
upon young Redmond exclaimed that it
was the term "House of Commons" he
cared the most about. The result OF the
discussion was that without division
the words "Legislative Council" were
left to stand, and on a division the word
Senate was rejected by vote OF 49,
to "a. The question arises, what differ
ence does it make whether the Irish as
sembly in ublin is called parliament"
or "Legislature" if the Irish people are
allowed full power to govern themselves
as they see proper without being him
dered by tho imperial parliament? In
our opinion the word Legislature" is
preferable to and more correct than "Par-
lament in the case of Ireland where
members of both houses will be elected
direct y by the people as in the several
states of the American union, whereas in
England only the members of the lower
house are elected by the people, those OF
the upper chamber being hereditary
legislators. The great danger to be ap-
pretended Is that the Home Rule bill
will be so emasculated in committee that
Lit will prove comparatively worth less for
Ireland when she is legislating for herself
in College Green. The amendment pro-
posed by Sir Henry James to the effect
that nothing contained in the Home
Rule act shall affect or diminish the
supremacy of the imperial parliament
was accepted by Mr.. Gladstone. Thomas
Sexton was right when he declared that
the object of that amendment was to use
Lit hereafter in the British parliament as
justification to interfere and informed
die vexatiously with the Irish legislature.
The English members, both Liberals
and Tories, will be apt to NEEDLE too
much in Irish affairs when Ii Gland has her
own parliament, and it will be necessary
that Ireland shall have full representa-
ton at Westminster to defend her inter
ests against their interference. The Irish
members are preserving mastery silence
in parliament at the present time and
|! seem to be satisfied with anything Glad
stone says or does. They rely too much
on the judgment Of the Grand Old Man.
Perhaps they are convinced of the fact
that unless they accept what they get
from him, there is no chance of getting
as much from any other British states
man. At the present rate of progrese
the Home Rule bill will not leave the
committee stage for months to come.