Mr. Justin McCarthy has put forth a manifesto on the
political crisis which seems to us at once weak and wheedling. "For nine years," he says, "the Irish party has stood firmly and honourably by that alliance with the Liberal party which was based on their adoption in 1886 of the policy of Home, rule for Ireland, and we have the public and solemn assurance of the Liberal leaders that Home-rule is the primary policy of the Liberal party,' and remains in the forefront of the Liberal programme. The Irish party and the Irish movement are the creation of the masses of the Irish people. Without subsidy from the rich Exchequer of a great Empire, unlike the Government, we fight, frowned upon by the wealthy and the powerful in England and in Ireland; the Members of our party rely exclusively on the generosity and the confidence of the ever-faithful people of the Irish race. Our enemies, rich and powerful, threaten the movement which force could not destroy, and which coercion could only strengthen, with the power of the well-filled purse. We do not despise or underrate the resources which are for this purpose in the hands of the foes of Ireland, but we know that the national spirit is incor- ruptible, and we have confidence that the Irish people will supply us with the resources necessary to meet and defeat even the lavish funds which will be used against them." We under- stand that this appeal has charmed Z20,000 for election- expenses out of the pockets of four rich Irishmen, not an insufficient sum for the election-expenses of some seventy Members. But why it should be supposed that England intends to spend great sums on the suppression or coercion of Irish opinion, Mr. McCarthy would find it difficult to explain.
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