The Irish standard., 1893-02-25
LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL.

LORD RANDOLPH CHURCHILL.
Lord Randy" Churchill, the Tory ban
tam, has been again heard from after
some years of retirement from political
life. He appeared in parliament last
week and delivered the ablest address in
opposition to Gladstone's Home Rule
bill. Ba|fonr's speech was completely
cast into the shade by that uttered by
Randolph Churchill, and those who lis
tened to the pugnacious little lord formed
the opinion that he was better fitted to
be the leader Of the opposition than
Lord Salisbury's nephew. But after all,
the speech of the Tory lord was weak
one. The strongest point be made was
that Home Rule as proposed by Mr.
Gladstone was virtually a repeal of the
Union. Cloak the proposal in what
guise you may, said Randy" this bill is
going to destroy the Union, which was a
union of parliaments. It is matter of
life or death both to England and to Ire
lond. The act of Union meant one par
lament, one government, one executive
During forty years of the present pre-
mier's political career the sacredness OF
the act of Union found no stronger sup
porter. The reasons Or the right hon
orable gentleman's change of policy can
not be inspired by the purity fpriDciple,
lout wish to describe the motives
leading the right houorab!e gentleman
to abandon the Union but am certain
that il the present policy is successful it
will be described in history as great
| betrayal of the unionist cause. The bill
| gives Ireland a separate and ind pendent
legislature. In his great speech before
the introduction of the bill Mr.. Glad
stone stated that Home Rule to Ireland
would strengthen the bonds Of Union
between the two countries and that
nothing inconsistent with imperial unity
was contained in the measure. The fact
tina Grattan's parliament and the colo
nial parliament to be granted by Glad
stone are entirely dissimilar, and that
eighty Irish members will still remain in
the imperial parliament to attend to
Irish and British matters, is sufficient
answer to Lord Churchill that the legis-
lative union will be preserved in it's in
tegrity the same as now. The parliA,
ment at Dublin will be subordinate to
the London parliament under Glad
stones bill, whereas the Grattan parlia
ment was coordinate, being composed of
the King, Lords and Commons of Ire
land and entirely independent Of the
British legislature. The cry Of Ran
dolph churchill about repeating the act
of Union is therefore raised to make po-
litical capital. The little demagogue
then said he Gid not care whether the
Irish We're a nation OF not, but he did
not understand why they should have a
parliament of their own and have eighty
members in the London parliament a:
the same time So far as the Irish repre-
|sentation in London is concerned, the
Irish people appear to be somewhat in
different about their retention in that
alien house. The English Liberals and
Radicals, however, want them to remain
in order to receive their aid for English
reforms. Lord Randolph pretended
sympathy for Ulster, and said he felt
sure that Ulster would resist and or tect
itself. The men of Ulster were stern
and determined people who would offer
incorporating opposition to their here
ditary foes who would control the Dub
lin parliament 1t is reported that
Churchill will go to Ireland as he did
some years ago to make inhammatory
addresses to the Orangemen, but John
Morley will take care that the mischiev-
Gus frebrand will not create any riots in
the country. The Orangmen are en-
couraged by the speech of Lord Ran
dolph aud have already issued vehe-
ment manifesto against Home Rule,
demanding a perpetual union with Great
Britain or complete separation from
the empire. The minority in ireland
will receive just treatment from the
Irish parliament, and if they are not sat-
isfed with being on perfect equality
with the rest of the inhabitants, they
will have the privilege Of departing from
the island which they have cursed for
nearly three hundred years. Mr.. As
quith, member of the Gladstone minis
try, in replying to Mr.. Balfour during
the debate on the Home Rule bill, told
him that in recent years no case of per-
secution growing out of difference of
religion occurred in any part of Ireland
outside of Ulster. There is no people in
the world who have shown more reli-
gious federation than the Catholic ma
jority in Ireland, and though the Or
angemen of Ulster deserve no good
treatment at their hands, they will have
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