The gist of Mr. Chamberlain's first speech is contained in
the saying that "the cleavage of the Liberal Party has become com- plete and irretrievable." He led up to this, however, by a sketch of the history of the last twelve months, in which he denied that the Liberal leaders had offered any modifications of their plan. They might consent to retain the Irish Members, but only if that did not interfere with the fall autonomy of Ireland. He held that Mr. Morley's speech spurning all reconciliation until the Crimes Bill had passed and had failed, indefinitely postponed every effort to secure it, and that the men who had surrendered everything to Irish-Americans, now " slammed the door in our faces." The Liberals had degenerated from Liberals into Gladstonians, and thence into Parnellites, with their Parliamentary methods. In his second speech, Mr. Chamberlain described and strongly denounced obstruction. In four months, though there was plenty of work to be done, and among it a Bill to abolish dual ownership in Ireland, Parliament had accomplished nothing. Parnellites obstructed as rebels, and he did not complain ; but was not Mr. Gladstone giving his sanction to obstruction P At least, he and Mr. Morley denied that it was obstruction. It was, they said, only resistance to a bad Bill. Why, fifteen nights had been wasted on the Queen's Speech, and seventeen on a single rale of Procedure. If this is allowed, the Tories will retaliate, and in the common attack on Parliamentary power, it is the Liberals who want to pass Bills who will suffer the most. The constituencies must do their beet to warn the men who are deliberately striving to destroy the mighty instru- ment by which alone beneficial legislation can be accomplished.
