Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-02-14
ERIN'S CHAMPION.
Gladstone Opens the Fight for
ireland Once More.
HIS NEW MEASURE FOR HOME RULE.

He Speakb to Packed House and Ex-
plains the Bnl-Two Houses of the Leg
islature, Viceroy, and a Privy Council
Imperial Supremacy the First Thing
in the eamble-Irish Members in the
British Parliament-The Land Question
Reserved for Three Years-Other Poiuts
of the Bill-Sexton Expresses Satisfac-
tion.
LONDON, Feb 14.-Gladstone introduced
his home rule bill in the commons yester-
day. When he arose the house was packed,
and of course he was loudly cheered. He
began By taunting the Tories that they had
failed both in legislation and coercion and
laid down the principle that there was but
this alternative in Ireland-autonomy or
coercion. His preliminary speech was long
and devoted to defense of his own position
and argument against that of the Conser-
vatives. Finally he got down to the sali-
ent points lof the bill. The principles he
had advocated in 1856 were imperial unity,
equality OF all the kingdoms, equitable
repartition of imperial changes, protection
of minorities.
As to Imperial Unity.
In the first place, he said, the provision
for Imperial supremacy was there. He had
thought it best to put it in the preamble
where it WAS in the words "Whereas, it is
expedient, without impairing or restrict
ing the supreme authority of parliament"
and then the preamble goes on to declare
the creation of the Irish legislature Glad
stone here said: with reference to the
charge, frequently with good faith, made
against us that we are destroying the act
of union, wish to challenge inquiry upon
this fundamental point. What is the
essence OF the act of unioni Hear, hear1
That essence is to be appreciated by COM
pairing the constitution of things found in
the country before 1900 with the constitu-
tion of things now subsisting in England
Before 1900 we had two sovereigl.ties in
the country. One of those was collective
ly lodged in the king, the houses of lords
and commons of England, and the other
lodged in the king and the houses of lords
and commons of Ireland"
Limitations the Legislature.
@Then the bill constitutes the Irish Iegis-
lature. Power Is granted to the Irish legis-
lature, which consists, first of all, OF a
Legislative council; secondly o2 legislative
assembly empowered to maze laws for the
peace, order, and good government of Ire
land in respect to matters exclusively re-
lating to Ireland or o4YaBe6herAof. That
power is subject to a double limitation
First of all it is subject to necessary and
obvious limitations imposing certain inca
pacities on the Irish parliament, including
all that relates to the crown, a regency, or
the viceroyalty. The subjects of peace and
war, public defense, treaties and foreign
alot.a At la,r \
do not belong to the Irish legislature The
law of alienage does not belong to it, nor
everything that belongs to external trade
the coinage and other subsidiary subjects
Other incapacities are imposed similar to
these contained in the bill of 1856. These
provided for the security of religious free
DOM the safeguard of education, and for
the security of personal freedom, in which
we endeavored co borrow one of the modern
amendments to the American constitu-
tion.
A Decidedly Important Clause.
"Then coming to exclusive powers we re-
tain the vice ROYALTY of Ireland, but we di-
vest it of the party character heretofore
borne, by making the appointment run six
years, subject TO the revoking power of the
crown. Then also the post is freed from
all religious disability. [Cheers.1 Then
comes clause which may be considered
formal, although it is of great Importance,
providing for the full devolution of execu-
tive power from the sovereign upon the
viceroy. Then comes an important provis-
ion for the appointment of an executive
committee of the privy council of Ireland
We propose TO make this an executive
council for the ordinary affairs of the cabi-
net of the viceroy