Lord Zetland is to succeed Lord Londonderry in the Vice-
royalty of Ireland. This was announced by Lord Salisbury on Wednesday to a very strong deputation of noblemen and Members of Parliament, introduced by the Marquis of Water- ford, who waited upon him to advise the abolition of the Lord- Lieutenancy, and the transfer of its powers to a Secretary for Ireland, with a Parliamentary Under-Secretary to assist him. The address reminded Lord Salisbury that when in 1850 Lord John Russell introduced his Bill to abolish the Lord-Lieu- tenancy, it passed its second reading by a vast majority,— namely, 395 to 170, or much more than two to one, and that the keeping alive of the Lord-Lieutenancy virtually keeps alive the idea of separateness. The deputation was a private one, but Lord Salisbury is known to have replied that the office could not be abolished without passing a somewhat complex Bill through Parliament, which Bill would be very seriously resisted, and would take a good deal of time, and that this, during the present Session at all events, could not be spared. That is, no doubt, an unanswerable reason for delay, though not, we hope, for more than eight or nine months' delay. Lord Zetland will make an excellent stop-gap, and will probably not be anxious to remain longer than he need. Nothing is more needful than to get rid of the Lord-Lieutenancy, a conspicuous symbol of the survival of political semi-detachment.
Previous page
