Mr. Shaw-Lefevre's speech on Tuesday was remarkable for ignoring completely
the special circumstances of Ireland, and for constituting simply a panegyric on autonomy as a cure for sectional jealousies, although in Scotland these jealousies have certainly been cured without the kind of autonomy which Mr. Shaw-Lefevre recommends as a specific for Irish ills. Mr. Chaplin, of course, made a violent attack on the Govern- ment Bill ; while Mr. Labouehere made one of his jocular speeches in favour of it, declaring that the best argument in favour of the Bill was that it looks so illogical on paper, no Constitution ever working well at all that looks well on paper. Another argument in favour of the Bill was that Lord Wolseley, the Poet-Laureate, and the President of the Royal Academy dis- approve it ; now, the strong presumption, said Mr. Labonehere, is against the upper classes being right, especially the upper classes as represented by a great soldier, a great poet, and a great painter. Mr. T. D. Sullivan emulated Mr. Labonchere in his jokes, assailing Lord Salisbury's speech at St. James's Hall for recommending a "judicious mixture" of coercion and emigration, of Kilmainham and Manitoba. Sir Lyon Playfair, who supported the Bill, held that Ireland would be quiet if she gained the autonomy promised her, and that with quiet would come commerce ; and he oddly compared her chance of establishing prosperous manufactures to that of Switzer- land, whose immense water-power really constitutes her chief wealth. In reality, we do not think that Ireland would ever be happy in quietness. Her people love a shindy as a Dutchman loves his tulips.
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