On Saturday, a protest against Home-rule, addressed to the Queen,
and signed by 103,000 women belonging to all classes and creeds in Ireland, was forwarded to the Home Secretary, who, perhaps not unnaturally, refused to receive it in person from a deputation of Irish ladies headed by the Duchess of Abercorn. That would have meant an unpleasant quarter- of-an-hour, such as no man can be accused of cowardice for avoiding. The language of the protest is moderate, dignified, and evidently sincere. It specially points out how much the working women of Ulster have to dread from the shock to trade and industry which must result from Home-rule. Against this may be set a declaration, signed by 3,535 members of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, " expressive of gratitude to, and confidence in," Mr. Gladstone. Mr. Gladstone is very thankful for this exceed- ingly small mercy, and in his reply brings out once more his well-worn lament that the mass of the Irish Presbyterians are not still opposed to the Union. Cannot he see that the reconciliation of the natural and traditional leaders of the Irish people is the great achievement of the Union, and that if he will only keep his hands off it, the Union will end by reconciling the South also ? On one side the old wound has quite healed. Why tear it apart because on the other it is a little slower in growing together P
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