and historic party, to which they belong by most of
their That bearing, after so long a contest, will not, we all were men disposed to stand on their own feet, and not Liberal Unionist Members will disappear from public to lean on any man or any party more than was needful life ; and that fact, they think, will be the death-warrant for purposes of immediate action. A considerable number of the " Union cry.". That is rather a small view, were ambitious men, and many of such calibre that, had suggested by the kind of men who fancy that the history they remained in the old organisation, hardly any object of a great nation can be turned aside by a show of hands. of personal ambition would have seemed chimerical, or They themselves will admit that, whoever may fall, the even beyond their speedy reach. Moreover, there were at Liberal Unionist Party will survive ; that there will be, least two " angles of cleavage," as mineralogists say of say, twenty of them, as an extreme minimum, left in pos- jewels, perceptible in the party. Though all were agreed as session of their seats ; that this reduced party will include to their immediate object, half were by instinct Conservative, all the foremost men, and will possess and carry on the while the remaining half had been and remained at heart party tradition. Now, just think for a moment what that English Radicals. They differed in the drift of their implies. It signifies that the Unionist Party, even if beaten, minds as to landlordism and its utility, as to the wisest will be immediately re-formed. It is as certain as anything end to be sought upon the Labour question, and as to the in politics can be, that Mr. Gladstone's next Home-rule pro-* most formidable and peremptory of all ecclesiastical dis- posal will be followed by a new secession ; that he must go putes. It was quite natural, and indeed reasonable, to beyond what at least a third of his followers anticipate ; that believe that one question, however serious, would not hold he must create, to their dismay, a separate Cabinet for them permanently together ; that rifts would appear Ireland, possessed. of all executive authority, and respon- quickly in the lute ; that the strong individualism of the Bible to an Irish majority, and not to the Parliament of seceders would produce, first differences, then contests, Westminster; and that consequently, in the course of the and then recriminations, not perhaps so violent as those debates and divisions, a number of his followers will leave of the Parnellites after Mr. Parnell lost his autocracy, him. Where are they to go ? The Gladstonians will but still sufficient to prevent any concerted action. The write them out, and they will not become Tories. They result has disconcerted, not only pessimists, but many must accrete, voluntarily or involuntarily, to the party observers usually found sagacious. One man, perhaps which has previously accepted the same reason for seces- in all but literary force the weakest in its ranks, sion, and which, in a contest of six years, has proved. that has quitted the party ; but the remainder have not only it will not resign its principles, will not sell its followers, during five long years steadily voted together, but they will not desert them, but, renouncing the hope of office, have behaved with a dignity of comradeship rare in any the gratification of success, and the luxury of being in party, and nearly unknown among seceders. They have accord. with the Liberal army, will keep up its steady not jostled one another, or raced one another, or made struggle for the unity of the Empire as the essential con- bitter little epigrams on one another, but have worked dition of any good to Ireland. That party will still be together in a sincere political fellowship. They have organised, its officers will still be in front, the attrae- sought no office, though they delegated one of their num- tion of its character will still be unbroken, and the ber to accept a special post ; they have not endeavoured new recruits will and must refill its ranks, perhaps to make parties for themselves ; and they have not, in as full as they ever were, but at all events suffi- speaking to constituencies, compared themselves with each ciently full to render Liberal Unionism still a living force other. They have been perfectly loyal to their leader and with which Tories as well as Gladstonians must count. their party ; and though, for the most part, holding seats That, even assuming defeat at the Election, is the advan- which their critics say are uncertain, they have entirely re- tage which the party that met in Devonshire House on sisted the temptation to make themselves " safe" by dis- Monday will derive from the character which we have reputable compromises. They have behaved, in fact, attributed to it, and which every sane Gladstonian knows. utterly unlike Laodiceans, or Adiaphorists, or Trimmers, in his heart to have been most amply deserved. The con- or any third party ever recognised among us, displaying test is not one to be ended by a dramatic coup ; and when on all occasions the quiet, resolved dignity of men deter- the Election is over, however it goes, the worst fact for the mined to postpone not only themselves—which a majority Gladstonians, even if they are exultant with an imagine& will do on occasion,—but their own ideas—which it is our victory, will be the character which the Unionists have won experience that very few men will do,—to what they believe for themselves, and which their adversaries—for on this to be the welfare of the entire State. Even when their one point at least they are not sincere—affect to despise. natural and accepted leader was withdrawn from the House We are not, be it remembered, attempting to prophesy. of Commons, they neither intrigued. nor quarrelled nor We have not, and do not affect to have, a single fixed idea argued over his successor, but quietly selected their man as to how Home-rule will be defeated, our only conviction —no doubt their inevitable man—and suppressing all being that defeated it will be, however unexpected, or even instinctive differences, agreed to render to Mr. Chamber- contemptible, may be the intervening cause. That may be lain the loyal support they had rendered to Lord Har- the result of some sudden but violent quarrel in Ireland, tington himself. Their meeting on Monday was marked or some unexpected error of the Roman Catholic Church by such a. resolute and quiet unanimity, that half their consequent on a change in the Papacy, or some outbreak opponents describe it as " dull," and the other half as of the smouldering feud between Liberal capitalists and the "formal." After the Duke of Devonshire had given an Labour party, or some other cause of which no hint has yet expected but still welcome assuranee that he was now as been perceptible in the current of events. We only say that ever, with all his heart and powers, at the service of the TOPICS OF THE DAY. Unionists, Mr. Chamberlain's name was proposed by his ♦ only possible rival, Sir Henry James, and seconded by Mr. Heneage, who represents what we may call the other THE MEETING AT DEVONSHIRE HOUSE. wing of the Unionists ; and there was not only no opposi- THE meeting at Devonshire House on Monday to elect tion, but no one made any reserves or stipulations. It was a successor to Lord Hartington in the leadership of perfectly well known that, as regards the Church, Mr. the Liberal Unionist Members, brought into strong relief a Chamberlain was at variance with his present followers ; quality in that party which has marked it from the first, but instead of glossing that over, he avowed the fact, and and that is its collective dignity. The original idea of the simply promised that while the great issue was at stake, he Gladstonian leaders, that the " Dissentients," as they would subordinate to it his own unaltered convictions delighted to call them, could not form an enduring party, upon Disestablishment. No body of Senators could have that they must in a few months resolve themselves into a displayed more reticence and resolute dignity in action than crowd of miscellaneous atoms without coherence or unity, this group of Members, who, after five years of hot cam- had, though distorted by temper, a priori, something to be paigning, still hold themselves in ranked order to act as a said on its behalf. To begin with, seceders from a great separate but united and determined party. and historic party, to which they belong by most of their That bearing, after so long a contest, will not, we convictions and all their interests, must necessarily be believe, be lost upon the country, which is always impressed. individual men, with strong opinions, deep underlying con- by steadfastness and disinterestedness, and it may yet victions, and characters of the kind. which do not yield operate in a way which Gladstonians who can think will readily to any pressure of discipline. " Any dissenter from do well to reflect upon for a little. They believe, or say Quakerism," once wrote the forgotten humorist, Sam they believe—we fancy they are sincere, though temper Slick, " must hey' a stiff upper-lip." Some of the Unionists may a little deflect their judgments—that whatever were among the most obstinate men in the country, and the result of the great Election, the majority of all were men disposed to stand on their own feet, and not Liberal Unionist Members will disappear from public to lean on any man or any party more than was needful life ; and that fact, they think, will be the death-warrant for purposes of immediate action. A considerable number of the " Union cry.". That is rather a small view, were ambitious men, and many of such calibre that, had suggested by the kind of men who fancy that the history they remained in the old organisation, hardly any object of a great nation can be turned aside by a show of hands. of personal ambition would have seemed chimerical, or They themselves will admit that, whoever may fall, the even beyond their speedy reach. Moreover, there were at Liberal Unionist Party will survive ; that there will be, least two " angles of cleavage," as mineralogists say of say, twenty of them, as an extreme minimum, left in pos- jewels, perceptible in the party. Though all were agreed as session of their seats ; that this reduced party will include to their immediate object, half were by instinct Conservative, all the foremost men, and will possess and carry on the while the remaining half had been and remained at heart party tradition. Now, just think for a moment what that English Radicals. They differed in the drift of their implies. It signifies that the Unionist Party, even if beaten, minds as to landlordism and its utility, as to the wisest will be immediately re-formed. It is as certain as anything end to be sought upon the Labour question, and as to the in politics can be, that Mr. Gladstone's next Home-rule pro-* most formidable and peremptory of all ecclesiastical dis- posal will be followed by a new secession ; that he must go putes. It was quite natural, and indeed reasonable, to beyond what at least a third of his followers anticipate ; that believe that one question, however serious, would not hold he must create, to their dismay, a separate Cabinet for them permanently together ; that rifts would appear Ireland, possessed. of all executive authority, and respon- quickly in the lute ; that the strong individualism of the Bible to an Irish majority, and not to the Parliament of seceders would produce, first differences, then contests, Westminster; and that consequently, in the course of the and then recriminations, not perhaps so violent as those debates and divisions, a number of his followers will leave of the Parnellites after Mr. Parnell lost his autocracy, him. Where are they to go ? The Gladstonians will but still sufficient to prevent any concerted action. The write them out, and they will not become Tories. They result has disconcerted, not only pessimists, but many must accrete, voluntarily or involuntarily, to the party observers usually found sagacious. One man, perhaps which has previously accepted the same reason for seces- in all but literary force the weakest in its ranks, sion, and which, in a contest of six years, has proved. that has quitted the party ; but the remainder have not only it will not resign its principles, will not sell its followers, during five long years steadily voted together, but they will not desert them, but, renouncing the hope of office, have behaved with a dignity of comradeship rare in any the gratification of success, and the luxury of being in party, and nearly unknown among seceders. They have accord. with the Liberal army, will keep up its steady not jostled one another, or raced one another, or made struggle for the unity of the Empire as the essential con- bitter little epigrams on one another, but have worked dition of any good to Ireland. That party will still be together in a sincere political fellowship. They have organised, its officers will still be in front, the attrae- sought no office, though they delegated one of their num- tion of its character will still be unbroken, and the ber to accept a special post ; they have not endeavoured new recruits will and must refill its ranks, perhaps to make parties for themselves ; and they have not, in as full as they ever were, but at all events suffi- speaking to constituencies, compared themselves with each ciently full to render Liberal Unionism still a living force other. They have been perfectly loyal to their leader and with which Tories as well as Gladstonians must count. their party ; and though, for the most part, holding seats That, even assuming defeat at the Election, is the advan- which their critics say are uncertain, they have entirely re- tage which the party that met in Devonshire House on sisted the temptation to make themselves " safe" by dis- Monday will derive from the character which we have reputable compromises. They have behaved, in fact, attributed to it, and which every sane Gladstonian knows. utterly unlike Laodiceans, or Adiaphorists, or Trimmers, in his heart to have been most amply deserved. The con- or any third party ever recognised among us, displaying test is not one to be ended by a dramatic coup ; and when on all occasions the quiet, resolved dignity of men deter- the Election is over, however it goes, the worst fact for the mined to postpone not only themselves—which a majority Gladstonians, even if they are exultant with an imagine& will do on occasion,—but their own ideas—which it is our victory, will be the character which the Unionists have won experience that very few men will do,—to what they believe for themselves, and which their adversaries—for on this to be the welfare of the entire State. Even when their one point at least they are not sincere—affect to despise. the project of Home-rule will fail ; and to-day we are not saying even that, but accepting the Gladstonian forecast, and trying to show what, if that forecast is true, the per- sistent steadiness of the Liberal Unionists will almost to a moral certainty accomplish for their cause. They will have held with dignity the fort into which all who reject the new Bill may, without loss of self-respect, retreat for reorganisation.
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