14 AUGUST 1886, Page 1

United Ireland, we see, regards Lord Salisbury's declaration on the

subject of Ireland as a declaration of war against the Irish people, and adds, melodramatically,—" Our race is used to resisting tyranny. War let it be, in the name of God !" But the extremely pacific declaration of war made was not Lord Salis- bury's, but that of the constituencies of the country ; and if he had not spoken as he did, Lord Salisbury would have declared war with the power to which he is constitutionally bound to submit. The first duty, he said, of the Government would be " to devote their whole energies to freeing tho loyal people of Ireland from the constraint that is exercised upon them." " I think there is one advantage we possess over our predecessors, an advantage which I trust we shall turn to a good use. We come back us the bearers of a mandate from the people of this country, deciding, in my belief irrevocably, the question which , has wrecked the peace of the neighbouring Wind. Tee question of an independent Government for Ireland has been referred to the only tribunal that can determine it with authority, and determine it without appeal. It has been referred to that tribunal after long and painful discussion, upon the authority of the most powerful statesman that this century has seen. It has been under these circumstances submitted to the people of this country, and they have given an answer which in itself is emphatic and unequivocal, but which is even more emphatic and unequivocal than it seems at first sight, because the voice that has been heard on the side of the minority has not been influenced purely, or even to the greater extent, by a conviction of the justice of the reply that was being given. It has been influenced by the enormous, and to a great extent justly large, personal influence of the statesman to whom I have referred, and by other political considerations than those which were im- mediately before the country at the time." Moreover, said Lord Salisbury, England's separate vote was not merely decisive, but " overwhelming."