Mr. Courtney "addressed his constituents at Liskeard on Monday in
a speech of much ability and illimitable self-con- fidence, on the Egyptian part of which,—on the stewing of that mess of political pottage, which he is so desirous to contemplate impartially from a distance,—we have said enough elsewhere. Mr. Courtney then went on to ask himself "why we should not also let Irishmen stew in their own juice P" a question which he appeared to be more than half inclined to answer, by saying that it is only because we have not courage to do so. However, he conquered his half-inclination, and declared, first, that it was impossible to separate Ireland's destiny from our own ; next, that Ireland is not homogeneous, and that Ulster is as much at issue with the rest of Ireland as Great Britain is ; and lastly, that Irishmen show very little consistency, though much vehemence, in their political demands. But if we refuse Home- rule, says Mr. Courtney, we must not concede all its evils with- out the advantage of the new sense of responsibility it would impose,—we must not concede to the Irish Home-rulers all they ask, without making them feel that they are to take the conse- quences. We should do what we believe to be justice to Ireland in every respect, without waiting for agitation,—for instance, we should give a popular local government to the counties,— but we must not let the Home-rulers dictate our measures, and then throw all the responsibility of their failure on the sister- kingdom. There Mr. Courtney showed his strong masculine sense.
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