On Tuesday, and after Mr. T. W. Russell's proposal to
include the principal teachers of the Irish National schools had been negatived, Mr. Balfour criticised Mr. Morley's scheme, and moved, as an amendment, that no official should be dismissed until an offer had been made to him of a place of an analogous kind in the Civil Service of England and Scot- land. Mr. O'Brien had written an article in which the policy of "clearing out the Castle" was distinctly contemplated. Again, " accordink to the Prime Minister, huge savings were to be made on expenditure by the Irish Parliament at the expense of the Civil servants in order to produce that plethora of money which the right hon. gentleman was sanguine enough to prophesy." But it was breach of faith not to protect the Irish Civil servants from such a policy. The persons called Irish Civil servants were not Irish Civil servants, but members of the Imperial Civil Service happening to be on duty in Ireland. They did not know for certain, till after their ex- aminations, whether they would be sent to Ireland, England, or Scotland, This fact, in our opinion, makes the proposed plan a gross injustice. The Irish Civil servants, if retired com- pulsorily, ought to be treated at least as well as English Civil servants retired on the abolition or reorganisation of an office. Mr. Gladstone's answer was that "the terms offered were most equitable and liberal, and that every doubtful point had been ruled in favour of the Irish officials." Mr. Balfour's scheme was "totally impossible." The amendment was negatived by 42 votes (241 to 199).
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