Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-02-14


MIR. Gladstone was in admirable form
and looking forward with pleasure TO
the eXertiOn OF the day. He slept well
during the night and began work az half
past o'clock this morning, assisted oy
his secretaries. From early morning
the scene I'm the palace yard, NeStmln-
,ster, has been Of the most animated de-
,scriptiOn, groups Of people as
ssembling to watch the arrival
tOf members. When the doors opened
there was a rush for seats. The veteran
Caleb Wright, Liberal NJ. z. for South
west Lancashire, who is eighty-two
years OF age, was unable TO hold his
own in the crush. and fell down and was
arampled upon. The melee settled
down at last. aud all got in their seats
aud waited for the feast OF GiadstOnian
elOquence Every seat iu the House eX-
cept the government bench was Occu-
pied when Mr. Gladstone entered
the House 40 $3.50 o'clock. Every Lib
eral and Irish Nationalist in the House
stood up and greeted him was prOlong-
ed and enthusiastic cheers. When Mr..
iGladstone arose at 43 minutes past TO
Introduce the Home Rule bill there was
another demonstration, so earnest, so
enthusiastic and irrepresSible that IT
was several minutes before he could be
heard.
Mr.. Gladstone spoke as follows in a
clear, strong and resonant voice:
al may without lmprOpriety remind
ebe House that the voices which usually
pleaded the cause OF Irish self-r0vern-
nent in Irish affairs a1Nv' y. hin these
hal
almost entirely mute. 1 return there
fore to the period of 1856, when prop
OsitiOn of this kind was submitted on
the part OF the government Of the day,
and / beg 70 remind the House OF the
position then taken by all the promoters
OF these measures. We said that we had
arrived az a point Ia our transactions
with Ireland where the two roads
n ,arted. You must choose one or the
her. One Is the way Of Irish autOn-
according TO the conceptions l
lust referred 20; the other is the
pf coercion. That Is our cOnten-
u will be the recollection OF the
fonse how that contention was most
= stoutly and largely denied. 1t was said
over and over again by many members.
We are not coerciOnists; we do not
adopt that alternative, and neither CAL
we adopt it. ministerial cEeerS.)
THAT assertion of theirs was IN
doubtedly sustained by the proposals,
especially from the dissenting Liberals
OF various plans dealing with Irish sf-
fairs. Those plans, though they fell
entirely short In principle and in scope
OF Irish self-gOvernmeut, yet were OF nc
trivial or mean Importance. They We're
far bevOnd what mad been before pro-
posed in local Self-gOvernmeut In Ire
land.
.sWel, what has been the result OF
the dilemma as ia was then put forward
ON their side of the House aud repelled
by the other? Has our contention that
the choice lay between autonomy and
coercion been justified or nOt2 Lib.
.eral cheers. What has become OF each
and all OF these important schemes fOT
giving Ireland Seli-goyernmeut,aS in the
Provinces, and giving her even a ceu-
tral establishment in Dublin with limit
ed mowers? All vanished into thin air,
ut the reality still remains. The roads
were still there-autOnOmy or coercion.
The choice Jay between them, and the
choice made was 90 repel autonomy and
embrace coercion. You cannot follow
coercion in an absolute uniform meth
cd. In 1856, for the first time. cOer-
cion was imposed on Ireland in the
shape OF permanent law added 20 the
statute books. This state of things
constituted an odenSe against the har-
mony and traditions OF self government.
IL was distinct and violent breach of
the promise on the faith Of which uu-
ion was obtained. The permanent SyS-
tenn OF repression inflicted upon The
country a state of things which could
not continue 20 exist. It was imDOSsi-
bic TO bring the people OF the country
under coercion int0 sympathy with the
EcOercing power.
, Mr. Gladstone proceeded 20 diiate az
length upon the circumstances under
which the act OF union was passed, the
promise OF equality in the laws aud of
commercial equality under which the
Nunion WIS effected.
1T is 20 me astonishing that 50 little
weight is attached by many % the fact
that before 1856, before 1855, Indeed,
Irish wishes for self government were
represented only by a small minority.
Since 1855, when the wide extension
of the franchise was protected
by the secret ballot Ire.and's sit
nation has been improved in
} narliament. In 1850 there were
J s. nationaliSts, or more than four-dfthS
nationausts. They nave 0evn reduced
10 so under circumstances somewhat
peculiar Ihear, hearl, aud 1 must
frankly own 70 myself for reasons To-
tally and absolutely unintelligibe.
Were Ireland united all opposition
would vanish as o shadow. Hear,
hearl. ireland Is not united IN this
sense: that one portion Of the country;
mot mere majority of the higher
classes, but considerable popular feel
ing is opposed 70 the present national
movement I will not attempt 70 meas
ure the Numerical strength OF the mi
nority. IL Is said by the party Of Op-
posite that the minority in the North Of
ireland is a-rayed in ulaiterable OppO-
s.tion 10 home rule Unhappily at the
successful instgation Of those whose
plot it was 20 divide the people Of Ire
land when theY were united at the close
OF the century through the medium
mainly Of Orange lodges and through
religious animosity, there was an alter
alton OF feeling, but the ProtestantSi
Ireland dufih 3 the period OF theb bs56e-