The Hon. G. Brodrick gave a good address at the
Co-opera- tive Hall, Rochdale, on the relations of England and Ireland, in which, after a lucid and fair sketch of Irish history, he proceeded to discuss the future of Ireland. He thought Ireland essentially un-Republican, wanting in the Repub- lican virtues, wanting also iu a high standard of morality and public spirit. He believed that an Irish Republic would lead to anarchy and bloodshed. Everybody says that, and we believe it to be quite true, but nobody attempts to answer the real question. May not a period of anarchy and bloodshed, a Reign of Terror, be the exact stage wanting to Ireland, the disaster necessary to make her splendid qualities effective ? France found her unity in such a reign, and it was under the horrible domination of Napoleon's Generals that Germany learnt to know her weakness and perceive her hope. It is a wrong thought, that we admit,—but as mere historians we never can resist the thought that if Ireland could for one year just fight it out among her parties, she would arrive at some compromise more endurable than the present. Just now Irishmen are like children punching each other in school-time, getting ready for the struggle which, as the schoolmaster is never absent, never comes.
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