The Ulster Liberals adopted yesterday week, at a meeting of
about five hundred delegates held in Belfast, resolutions asking for the " compulsory extinction of dual ownership " on land by purchase from the landlords, as the only step which would quell agrarian disorder; but they do not seem to have explained how this measure is to prevent such dual ownership from springing up again under the peasantry. They expressed their great con- fidence in Mr. Gladstone and their gratitude to him for his "magnificent and untiring services to Ireland ;" but they went on to say :—" We declare our determined opposition to the estab- lishment of a separate Irish Parliament as certain to result in disastrous collision between sections of the people holding conflicting views on social, economic, and religious subjects, and likely to create such a feeling of insecurity as would jeopardise all industrial and commercial pursuits, and we are satisfied that the maintenance of the Union with Great Britain is the best safe- guard for the peace, prosperity, and liberty of all classes in Ireland." What they desire is " the abolition of the Viceroyalty, the appointment of an Irish Secretary, a thorough reform of the
departments of Irish Government, and the establishment of an extended system of representative local government." They also declare their objection to " exceptional coercive legislation," so that we suppose the Ulster Liberals to be sanguine enough to hope for the extinction of agrarian outrage and boycotting under the present law, whenever it shall be supplemented by what they oddly call " the extinction of dual ownership."
Previous page
