The Duke of Argyll addressed a letter to Tuesday's Times
of great political force on the danger that the cry for a reform in Local Government may, through the intervention of the Irish question, be transformed into a cry for something involving wholly different results from any otherwise contemplated in the structure of Local Government. He points out how little the reserves usually made in favour of "the supreme authority of Parliament," and "the unity of the Empire," need mean. "To draw the line between that which is and that which is not of Imperial interest," says the Duke, "in a society which is to be one government over its own people and in the face of the world, that is a work requiring the very highest skill and the very deepest insight." "Is it possible that our notions of Empire are so degenerate, that we do not think it an essential part of it, that all the subjects of the Crown should. live under equal laws, and be assured of the primary conditions of human freedom?" The Duke illustrates this point at some length. But .we think it is clear that as far as Ireland is concerned, what the Parnellites wish is expressly that the Irish and, English should not live under -equal. laws- in this respect; and what those who think that Home-rule must begrauted hold, is that to enforce such equality
is-a hopeless task, and that we are bound to let the Irish Party tyrannisein Ireland as they -will.
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