Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-04-07
Prime Minister Gladstone Addresses
the House Of Commons.
HON. SIR MICHAEL HICKS-BEACH
Replies for the Opposition He
Says that Ireland is Not a Unit
in Favor of Home Rule as Laid
Down in the Present Bill-The
North of Ireland Opposes the
Measure-Civil War Spoken Of.

Ond reading or the home hule Oili'
Mr.. Gladstone said the government
had no intention Of amending the bill
as presented, except in some minor par
ticulars. He earnestly desired to bring
home TO the minds OF the House the
question when this great controversy
was to end. Cheers.
He did not address the question to the
opposition in a spirit of assumed superb
ority, but he would rather press 1t
earnestly upon their hearts and under
standings as matter In which ootn sides
were equally interested.
For many years the question OF irish
home rule had biocked'the way OF legis-
lation. The Liberal party had offered
a solution, but when they asked their
opponents where all this was TO end
they rarely obtained answer.
Certainly the opposition had not yet
ventured to point out a process where
by the greatest of Irish questions should
be decided apart from the way in which
the Home Rule bill proposed to decide
it. [Cheers.
Mr.. Gladstone then proceeded with a
historic review OF the rise and the
causes Of the demand of the Irish home
rule. He said that the progress Of
events in the last century had proved
the fallacy Of the argument offered by
the opponents of home rule that time
and patience would see Ireland pacitied
without special legislation.
Never was there q time when the
Irish people were so near to acceptance
OF the union as during the first twenty
years after the act of union had been
passed. and the reason was not because
they loved it but because they were
trodden under foot
LET the House," Mr.. Gladstone con-
tinued, ''look at the spectacle the
world offers in regard to its unions. In
the civilized world no incorporated
union effected and maintained by force
has ever prospered. This is a challenge
of some boldness. Is it too bold?"
Here the Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Hicks
Beach interrupted Mr.. Gladstone with
the remark: Take the case OF the
United States"
Mr.. Gladstone-"I said incorporated
union. Liberal cheers.
You missed the essential word. Hear,
hear.
"Holland and Belgium tried incor-
porated union, and after a precarious
existence Of fifteen years divorce was
effected. Austria and Hungary tried
incorporated union, and after years Of
sad experience they found the choice
lay in giving it up or the empire.
TCheer.
unions not incorporated but autono-
nous have been attended in all cases
with success; some times complete and
always considerable. In the United
States, each State had its own rights,
and any one in America, daring to in
terfere with these rights would be re-
garded as a mad man.
''The colonies had some points in
common with Iceland. The disease Of
disaffection permeated one, but reme-
dy was found in self-government." "
Cheers.
Regarding the question Of finance,
Mr.. Gladstone admitted that it was no
easy matter TO disentangle the finances
OF countries associated for the last nine
ty years.
It could not be done in any way free
from Inconvenience, but the trouble was
mere dust In the balance compared with
the vital Importance Of the great pur-
pose aiming at the real union OF the
two countries and the consolidation OF
the empire.
The bill carefully guarded the posi-
bility of increasing imperial expendi-
ture, whereof Ireland ought to pay her
share, in the event Of war and other
causes.
The rejection Of the home rule bill
was moved by Sir Michael Hicks Beach,
President OF the Board Of Trade in the
last Salisbury cabinet.
he taunted Mr.. Gladstone with hsv-
ing made q long excursion into Irish
history when he was expected to an
swer the multitudinous criticisms Of the
bin.
Since the character OF the measure
had become known the most intense an
tagonlsm had developed against it.
In q large part OF Ireland the people
were irreconcilably opposed to all the
details as we'll as to the principle OF the
bill
The North OF Ireland rang with pro-
tests against the Prime Minister'S pro-
posals, yet the Prime Minister ignored
this remarkable agitation, and would
not even pause in his retrospect to an
swer the arguments Of the men be-
hind 1t.
Nevertheless, admitting unanimous
sentiment in Ireland for home rule, the
proposal for the dissolution of the union
was rejected by the other party to the
bargain.
The majority Of the electors Of Great
Britain were convinced that Parliament
was persuaded TO take the fateful step
now proposed could never retrace it
without plunging the country into the
horrors of civil war. Cheers.