Mr. Harrington on Friday week moved an amendment in favour
of amnestying the dynamite prisoners. In this he was supported on Monday by Mr. Horace Plunkett, who argued, as we think with doubtful wisdom, that "with a Unionist party in office with a majority of 150 the situa- tion was entirely changed." Mr. Balfour took the wise and statesmanlike ground that the "one sovereign specific" for avoiding either too great severity or too great leniency "is to rigidly follow the habitual and ordinary practice of the Home Office, and waver neither to the right nor the left, but to treat the matter exactly as it would be treated if the persons concerned had no powerful backing in this House." That appears to us the final word on this difficult problem. The sensation of the debate was a maiden speech from Mr. Lecky, who thought that the prisoners had been punished enough. They acted under the intoxication produced by the inflammatory speeches under which Ireland had been driven mad. That, no doubt, is a consideration which a merciful Home Secretary should take into account though it is perhaps a consideration which had better be kept out of debate. Mr. Lecky was on far less sure ground when he used the argument that Ireland was now quiet and the Government strong. We do not, however, regret Mr. Lecky's speech, as it will exert a wise and moderating influence in Ireland. Mr. Asquith, very greatly to his credit intervened in the debate, and in effect supported Mr. Balfour's conten- tion that the question of amnesty is one for the Home Office, not for the House. The amendment was rejected by 279 to 117.
Previous page
