The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1882-01-28 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

THE MEMBERS FOR WEST CHESHIRE.  The, members for West Cheshire addressed their constituents at Crewe, on Tuesday evening. Their speeches were characterised by even more than the amount of wild extravagance which we are accustomed to find in the speeches of Tory orators. The Hon. W. F. •rollemache asked for support at " a time when murder and rebellion had been 1, t loose in the fairest portion of the British Empire." Seeing that the efforts of himself and his friends are directed to embaras-ing the Government which is endeavouring to put an end to the " murder and rebellion," his request was as strange as the Let that those who are so fortunate as to own land in the "fairest portion of the British Empire' seem in many cases to prefer to reside as far away from it as they conveniently can. The speaker went on to remark that "the anarchy • in Ireland had been caused by the weakness and incapacity of the present Government." It would, however, be more correct to state that the anarchy is the result of the fact that during the five years the Tory Government were in power they did nothing for Ireland, ex,•ept, perhaps, vigorously apply the Arms Act, and that when the country was in a state of famine, and tenants were lying, helpless, at the feet of their landlords, the House of Lords scornfully refused to pass the Compensation for Disturbance Bill, the object of which was to pat a stop to evictions. The Tories seem to have forgotten the way in which that measure was treated by the Nell, but it, nevertheless, remains true that if Lord Salisbury had acted in a different manner certain agitators would no have been afforded the opportunity which they have used with such fatal effect. The senior member for West Cheshire went on to deliver himself of the following tirade :—" Years ago the Government . had jeopardised the country throughout the world. Lord Elcho had 'described the Irish Land Act as robbery wrapped up and Communism disguised. If, however, the reports of the doings cf the Sub-commissioners were true, Lord Elcho would have been justified in describing it as robbery unwrapped and Communism without disguise. With respect to procedure in the House of Commons, wilful obstruction must be checked and the dignity and honour of the House must be maintained. If the Government brought forward a good scheme to effect this they would be thoroughly supported by the Conservative party. At the same time, any such scheme must be carefully con' sidered, and the minority must not be muzzled in any way. With regard to the land question, he strongly felt that tenant farmers should have the fullest security for unexhansted improvements. • The readjustment of local taxation and the reconsideration of our commercial policy were pressing questions. He felt confident that owing to the energy of the supporters of fair trade the latter question would have to be taken up at once." It will thus be seen that Mr. Tollemache is a sort of feeble echo of the more random Tory shriekers who are now roaming about the country. His cousin made a great discovery. He declared that Lord Derby's criticism of the Land Act was a most emphatic condemnation of the Act. This will, no doubt, be news to the distinguished convert to Liberalism, We can only hope that he will feel duly grateful that some one has been found to interpret his speeches. Mr. H. J.  Tollemache went on to make the comparatively reassuring statement that "just now there appeared some gleams of light in Ireland. Juries were found to convict on the clearest evidence." We do not know whether some one touched him on the shoulder to remind him that he had conceded a great deal too much to satisfy the Tory party. However that may be, he suddenly changed his tune, and piped M a way delightful to the exclusive classes who ' are now fighting so desperately for their own narrow interests. He declare'!— " But they only did so on the evidence of one of the greatest scoundrels of this century. Was that anything to boast of? The state of France during the revolution, as depicted by M. Taine, corresponded in a very startling manner with the state of Ireland." It is a pity that he did not go on to give a sketch of the French revolution and the events which preceded it. We may, however, remind him that that revolution was the outcome of misrule and corruption, and that Irish discontent, also, is largely due to similar causes.