The National Liberal Federation, of which Mr. James Kitson (soon
to be Sir James Kitson) is the President and Mr. Schnad- horst is the Secretary, issued in Monday's papers a manifesto dated from Colmore Row, Birmingham, in which, while admit- ting that the Elections have not realised the expectations of those who hoped that the country would recognise the necessity of granting Home-rule to Ireland, they declare that " the situation, as a whole, is nevertheless highly encouraging," the reason being that "the supporters of half-measures for Ireland are now the smallest group in Parliament," and that, in spite of the great forces with which he had to contend, Mr. Gladstone obtained for his proposals the vote of 1,338,718 electors, against 1,416,472 for the Tories and Liberal Unionists combined. But if it should appear that the 1,338,718 electors voted not so much for Mr. Gladstone's scheme as for Mr. Gladstone, and that not a tenth of them would have voted for his scheme if proposed by any one else and resisted by him, we do not think that Home- rulers should feel encouraged. Farther, the officers of the Asso- ciation contend that "the Liberal Party has now finally committed itself to the work of effecting a real Union between England and Ireland, on the basis of the concession of the right of self- government to the Irish people," and that " that task it can never abandon until the goal has been reached." Is this a very wise kind of assertion P Burning your ships is sometimes a bold stroke with a General whom you can trust for the whole campaign. But if Mr. Gladstone disappeared from active political life, how would the National Liberal Federation feel, with its ships burnt behind it, and no leader to take his place ?
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