The reunited Irish party came into action on Wednesday, when
Mr. Redmond brought forward his amendment urging the stoppage of the war on the basis of recognising the independence of the Transvaal and Orange Free State. Mr. Redmond, who abstained from all extravagance of expression, was very well answered by Mr. J. H. M. Campbell, the Unionist Member for St. Stephen's Green, who repudiated the claim of Irish Nationalist Members to speak for the majority of the Irish people, and pointed out that of the four soldiers recently awarded the Victoria Cross two were Irish- men. The war was not the cause of unity amongst Irish Nationalists, it was merely the occasion, and he quoted the candid declaration of the Evening Herald, that unity had become necessary because funds were exhausted, American support estranged, and subscriptions for any purpose at home had dried up. Dr. Clark (the Member for Caithness), who with Sir Wilfrid Lawson, Commander Bethel', and Mr. J. Burns formed the quartet of English Members who voted for the amendment, declared that the Boers bad faithfully carried out every obligation entered into with this country, while Mr. T. M. Healy made so astonishingly vitriolic a speech as to move Mr. Gibson Bowles to unwonted gravity. While the reunion of the Irish party has shattered the Union of hearts, Mr. Healy's speech has made the Act of Union invincible. The amendment was rejected by 368 to 66, or a majority of 302, 72 Liberals voting with the Government.
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