Mr. Chamberlain, on Tuesday, made a most important speech at
Warrington, in which he finally threw over all idea of an alliance with Mr. Parnell, declared that he would be no party to any scheme for Ireland which would plant a new and hostile State within thirty miles of Britain, and laughed at the threat that four millions of people would coerce thirty-two. The denunciation of all projects of separation was most emphatic, and indicates not only that Mr. Chamberlain disapproves them, but that he perceives this to be the Democratic feeling also. Mr. Chamberlain was careful to add that he would refuse the Irish no liberty, no advantage, and no measure of self-government that the English or Scotch claim for themselves. He declared that the Tories were gorging themselves on Radical plans, while abusing those who prepared them; and as regards a spirited foreign policy, asked who had allowed whole provinces to be torn from the Sultan of Zanzibar ? [The transaction referred to has passed with little notice, but if Mr. Gladstone had been in power we should never have heard the last of it.) Finally, he avowed that he wanted a cry which would excite enthusiasm at the elections, and believed that he had found one in his project for allowing Local Councils to expropriate land and let it to the labourers. Apart from the Socialist character of that project, what does Mr. Chamberlain think that those of the poor who want no land—that is, say, three times the labourers —will think of it P Will the farmer, the blacksmith, the little shopkeeper, and the factory workman consent to be taxed for an advantage they are not to share ? Why, if he is concerned for "the poor," does he pick out that one class ?
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