Mr. Bryce, M.P. for the Tower Hamlets, made a very
interest- ing speech at Liverpool on Monday to the Council of the Liberal Association, on his return from the- United States, giving them the general drift of his political observations there. He insisted, first, on the effectual way in which anything like political hos- tility to the United States is extinguished by the easy concession -to Irish emigrants from this country of the rights of citizenship, and the complete equality with native Americans which they almost immediately obtain. Especially as regards local self- government, they soon find themselves possessed of rights which train them for political duties of a higher kind,—and, 'indeed, political ignorance is transformed into political shrewd- ness by the very concession of those privileges which Conserva- tives wish to withhold until the shrewdness has been acquired. Further, Mr. Bryce spoke of the general dislike felt by all citizens of the United States for any establishment of religion, —a dislike as much felt by Episcopalians and Roman Catholics as by the Churches which in England are Dissenting. Finally, Mr. Bryce dwelt on the hopelessness of the Socialist cause in a country where almost all the people are not only in the posses- sion of property, but also owners of land.
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