Mr. Bryce illustrated the advantages which he expected from the
proposed measure by the case of Iceland, which for thirty years sustained a struggle against the power of the Danish Monarchy. In 1874, legislative independence was con- ceded, and ever since 1874, Mr. Bryce declares that Iceland and Denmark have been perfectly friendly, though, of course, Iceland, which is 1,100 miles from Denmark, is in a position analogous to that of one of our distant Colonies, not to Ireland. He contrasted the friendly relations of Finland,—which has autonomy,—to Russia, with the hostile relations of Poland, which has none. He suggested (rather rashly, we think) that if Schleswig and Holstein had been granted autonomy by Denmark, they would never have been annexed by Germany ; and he concluded a powerful speech by contending that not only is the proposed Bill the solution which involves the choice of the least evil in a very difficult case, but one which is good in itself, the British Parliament being too ignorant of Ireland to legislate well for Ireland. But if that be true of a Parliament containing one hundred and three Irish Members, is it not clear that the reason must be found not in ignorance, but in the determination of Irish Members to withhold their co-operation from the measures of English statesmen ?
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