Lord Ramsay, the Liberal candidate for Liverpool, has, we fear,
allowed himself to concede too much to the Home-rulers of the borough. He has not, as is alleged, in any way expressed any favour for Home-rule, but he has been persuaded to say that, while utterly opposed to the separation of the two countries, "If I were merely desired to support and to vote for a motion for inquiry into the nature and amount of the demand made by the Irish people for an Irish Parliament, I should not refuse to do so, my objection being to the word restoration,'
which would lead to the revival of that state of things which would certainly lead to the break-up of the United Kingdom." Ireland cannot have a Parliament at all, unless she is inde- pendent, although she might have Provincial Councils, with large municipal authority; and Lord Ramsay should have treated any demand including the word " Parliament " as outside the region of inquiry, because outside the region of possible concession. Of course, if he approves Home-rule, that is another matter, but we understand him to be strenuously and fixedly opposed to it ; and to yield even in form, and with careful limitations of words, is regrettable weakness. It is all the more so, because it was English opinion, rather than the opinion of the United King- dom, which the Liverpool election was to test. Now, the Tories will say, if they are beaten, they were only defeated by "a pro- mise to consider the propriety of dismembering the kingdom."
