At the same Conference, Sir William Harcourt made a speech
which seems to us a mere burst of political wrath against the Liberal Unionists. He represented the gist of Lord Salisbury's speech at Derby as being this :—" Ireland has been our enemy, Ireland is our enemy, and always will be our enemy. We have treated her, we do treat her, and we will treat her as our enemy." He called Mr. Bright's letters on the Irish Question "peevish and spiteful letters," and then took credit for respectful reticence towards Mr. Bright. He called Mr. Balfour's official statements about Ireland "the sewer" from which false information flows. The speech had none of Sir William Harcourt's usual wit. It was simply a speech of fury. We do not wonder that Sir William Harcourt is getting violent. For he is losing influence every day with all those with whom influence implies both trust and reverence.
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