12 FEBRUARY 1887, Page 2

The important speeches of Tuesday were Mr. Morley's, and that

of the Solicitor-General for Ireland. Of Mr. Morley's speech we have given a careful criticism elsewhere. We may add to that criticism here that Mr. Morley sheltered himself behind Lord Randolph Churchill's opinion of the " Plan of Campaign" as comparatively insignificant, and not one that had led to important practical results. "However immoral, however unjust, however unpatriotic you may consider the Plan of Campaign' and the action taken under it to be, I do not hesitate to say that I do not regard it as any more immoral, any more unjust, any more unpatriotic than the action of those landlords whom the Chief Secretary himself denounced at Bristol ae harshly executing the rights of property, while per- forming none of its duties." Perhaps not; but the former is an illegal policy pursued by some of the Irish leaders, and forced

by them on ignorant and helpless tenants, with the dread of the National League before their eyes ; the latter is the injustice of private „persons, for which they _alone are responsible, and which is forced upon no one. You might as well compare an illegal course of action pursued by the Carlton or Reform Clubs in a General Election, with the legal extortions of the slop-sellers at the East End. Mr. Morley was very indignant with the removal of Sir Robert Hamilton, and said that it tended to produce a olass of subordinate officials in Ireland who,. when you asked them for counsel, just looked into your eyes to discover, if they could, what drift you wished them to give to their counsel.