Lord Lansdowne, who proposed the first resolution, declared that "it
was a gross and criminal perversion of the fads to represent Ireland as a country poverty-stricken, ground down, and honeycombed with want and disease." The real canker in Ireland was the tyranny of the illegal associations. Mr. Long, who moved a resolution in favour of a vigorous administration of the law in Ireland as necessary to the liberty and safety of the individual citizens and to the ultimate development of the resources of the country, showed once again that though he is so firm a Unionist, he is by no means a violent Ascendency Man. Especially sound was his declaration that unless they maintained the law, it did not matter bow much money they spent in order to promote • prosperity. "Unless the law was impartially administered between all classes, the money might as well be thrown into the Thames for all the good it would do." Of the truth of this we are absolutely convinced. No nation ever can or ever will prosper upon doles. Material prosperity comes from the energy and enterprise of the inhabitants of a country, and
these qualities cannot grow under tyrannies like those of the Land League and its successors.
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