Lord Salisbury on Tuesday delivered a most powerful speech at
St. James's Hall. He denied most absolutely Mr. Parnell's statements as to the Tory Cabinet having considered Home- rule, declaring that he himself had told Lord Carnarvon before his departure that be would never be a member of a Govern- ment which accepted that proposal. Lord Randolph Churchill, also, had been equally strong. He accused Mr. Gladstone of raising questions during the campaign, such as that of " the classes," in order to prevent the people from considering the true issue, and ridiculed the assertion that this settlement would be final. The tribute would be cancelled by a stroke of the pen if the Irish could secure real separation, and for Separa- tion, therefore, they would try. Mr. Gladstone said God could not have created such monsters as the Irish were assumed to be ; but did ho really never meet a man who took advantage, or did he think him untreated ? Over all Europe unifica- tion was going on, not disintegration, except only in Turkey, because Turkey was decrepit. For sixty years the Scotch had hated the Union, but they did not hate it now. If Mr. Gladstone had ruled in 1745, and had declared that Jacobites must be ruled by love, what would be the position of affairs ? Considering the difficulties to be overcome, the religions obstacles to be faced, our own vacillating and changing habits of government, and the wave of superficial philanthropy which every now and then sweeps over the land, it is far too soon to say that the Union, under which the material condition of Ireland has so improved, has failed, or that " the strong, mediating hand " of Britain should be taken away.
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