But the most remarkable of Mr. Gladstone's errors were those
affecting the Irish County-Court Judges. Mr. Glad- stone spoke of the increase of a sentence on appeal as a per- fectly monstrous iniquity, whether it were or were not legal under the statute. Mr. Balfour's reply is that the Govern- ment have nothing to do with the procedure of the Irish Courts, but that as regards the facts of the case, "the pro- cedure which has been declared by Mr. Gladstone to be un- heard of in Ireland until quite lately, proves," on investiga- tion, "to have occurred in every year of Mr. Gladstone's two Administrations." Two sentences were increased on appeal in 1881, four in 1882, one in 1883, three in 1884, one in 1885, two in 1886, and one in 1887; Mr. Gladstone's Government being, of course, responsible for all between 1881-1884 inclusive, and possibly for those in 1885 and 1886. Further, with regard to cumulative sentences for separate offences, together amounting to a term which, if it had been the sentence for a single offence, would have entitled the person convicted to an appeal, Mr. Balfour showed that Mr. Gladstone must have been mistaken in asserting that neither Lord Spencer nor Sir G. Trevelyan had any responsibility for so "mean a trick." The case in which it is certain that such a cumulation of short sentences was awarded under Lord Spencer and Sir G. Trevelyan, was the case of a Press prosecution, on which it was impossible that Lord Spencer should not have been consulted ; while it was in the highest degree improbable that Sir George Trevelyan, who was in Dublin at the time, should not also have been taken into counsel,—a Press prosecution being always treated as very
important by the Government. Doubtless the truth is that Lord Spencer and Sir G. Trevelyan looked at matters of this kind in a very different light before they adopted their Home- rule principles, and hardly felt any qualms about proceedings which they now describe as monstrous and iniquitous. Their horror now is perfectly honest, but it is of very recent birth. In putting on the regenerate man, the Home-ruler of to-day, they have put off the old Adam,—the old Lord Spencer and the old Sir G. Trevelyan.
