5 NOVEMBER 1887, Page 2

Perhaps the most immediately important part of Lord Hartington's speech

was his explicit declaration that, till Ireland should surrender the cry for a Parliament which would be a distinctly national Parliament and practically independent of Great Britain, it would be worse than useless to propose any measure for the extension of a liberal system of local govern- ment to Ireland,—a system which would not be accepted by the Irish in lieu of their national claims, and which would be used by them to extort further concessions. It is the first time that Lord Hartington has laid down clearly and definitely this very sound doctrine.