Lord Kimberley made a moderate speech in defence of Home-
rule on Wednesday at a meeting of the Wymondham Liberal Association. He asserted, first, that the Irish are far too sensible of the advantage of being associated with the more wealthy and powerful island to insist on Separation. This may or-may not be true ; but it does not touch what we regard as the main danger,—namely, that if we try to overrule their management of their own affairs where we think it unjust, they will leave no stone unturned to foil us, so that we shall then be landed in an exaggeration of the present difficulty, instead of finding a solution of it; and that, if we do not try to overrule these acts of injustice to the minority, we shall lose all self-respect. And next, Lord Kimberley asserted that "since England had evinced the desire to do Ireland justice, Irishmen had, in spite of the Coercion Act, shown a good feeling towards England." Of that statement we should like to have some sort of proof. Have they abandoned the "Plan of Campaign," though it is disapproved by their own leader ? Have they abandoned boycotting P Have they approved the execution of the law ? What in the world have they done to show this good feeling, except cheering English speakers when they argue for Home-rule? And when was it that England first "evinced the desire to do Ireland justice " ? Was it not in 1869-74, and again in 1881 and 1882 in a much more emphatic way ? And was that advance towards justice to Ireland well received ? Lord Kimberley is so anxious to believe in his rose-water view of the ease, that he throws dust in his own eyes and the eyes of every one elee too.
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