As to the historical European examples of Home-rule, Mr. Goschen
maintained that there is not one of them which bears any analogy to the proposal of an Irish Parliament which is to be subject in all Imperial matters to an Imperial Parliament. What Unionists fear as much as Separation is a paralysis of power, a complication of legislative and admin- istrative machinery which will practically erect in the United Kingdom a weak and cumbrous system of government in the place of a powerful and prompt one. The self-government granted by Turkey to both Crete and Eastern Roumelia had originated new powers which, instead of strengthening Turkey, really weaken and embarrass her ; and that is what we should expect were we to grant the desired Home- rule to Ireland. As for the self-government granted to the Colonies, it does not appear that even Mr. Gladstone is prepared to grant anything like the same amount of self- government to Ireland. If we had insisted on legislating financially for our Colonies, and had prohibited them from pro- tecting their own manufactures and putting taxes on imports, the Colonies would long ago have been in revolt; and the same may be said if we had attempted to put the same restriction on the religious education of our Colonies which Mr. Gladstone proposed to put on the religious education of Ireland. The proposal to regard only Welsh votes in relation to Disestablish- ment of the Church in Wales, and only Scotch votes in relation to Disestablishment of the Church in Scotland, suggests that we ought to regard only English votes in relation to the Disestablishment of the Church in England, or, indeed, in relation to any other question which would, geographically speaking, take effect in England only,—a dangerous principle which, besides exciting a host of local jealousies, would pro- bably render English legislation extremely Conservative, and which would further impoverish the poorest parts of the
Kingdom, and further enrich the richest. Mr. Goschen held that a " Union of Hearts " which is to be consummated and celebrated under the auspices of the champions of vengeance and the panderers to agrarian greed, will never be a true Union of Hearts.
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