17 OCTOBER 1885, Page 3

Mr ChiMers on Monday made a bold and manly speech-

at Pontefract; We cannot agree with all he says ; but all he said was clear. He.would resist the " endingr.of the House of Lords, and insist on " mending " it or leaving it. alone. He would defend the Establishment, and give it far power of managing its own affairs, of course with lay. help in due pro- portion. He would oppose free education, and he does not believe it possible to carry the graduation of the Income-tax and the death-duties further than has been, done, though land and personalty ought to pay the same. Finally, he spoke out upon Ireland. He would give Ireland a large measure of local self-government,---a far. larger one, indeed; if we understand_him, than we- could think safe. He would leave, her to legislate for herself, reserving Imperial rights over foreign policy; mill? tary organisation, external trade—including Customteduties=. the Post Office, the currency, coinage, the National Debt, and the- Court of Ultimate-Appeal. He would specially allow to, Ireland. control of her Police and Judiciary, and, so far as we see„ef her• civil and criminal law. Ireland, in fact, would he. as Massa- chusetts, and might raise a Militia of her- ownnuder the name. of a- Police. We can hardly believe that Mr. Childere meant all that his words imply ; but if he did moan it all, we cannot accompany him. We should much-prefer-to such a soheme, that, Ireland should be a. self-governing Colony; thus reserving the ultimate sovereignty of Parliament; or even that she should receive the Norwegian. Constitution.