The "Memoranda" issued by the Liberal Unionist Associa- tion (July,
1902) gives the following quotation from a speech made by Mr. Joseph Devlin, the Nationalist M.P. who, in the House of Commons on Wednesday, made a maiden speech of considerable warmth. Speaking at a meeting in New York during his recent tour in the United States, he said :—" Gentlemen, I know there are many men in America who think that the means by which we are operating to-day for the good of Ireland are not sufficiently sharp and decisive.
I, myself, am of opinion that it'is always a good thing in Ireland to have not only what is known as the constitu- tional movement, but to have also in existence a physical force
party, even if that spirit is never concreted into action I would suggest to those who have constituted themselves the censors of our movement, would it not be well to give our movement a fair chance—to allow us to have as owners the tillers of the land, to have an Irish Parliament that will give our people all authority over the police and the judiciary and all government in the nation, and when equipped with com- parative freedom, then would be the time for those who think we should destroy the last link that binds us to England to operate by whatever means they think best to achieve that great and desirable end ? I am quite sure I speak for the United Irish League on this matter."—Irish People, June 21st, 1902. We entirely agree with the editors of the " Memoranda " when they say that "there being still people in Great Britain who think that agitation in Ireland would cease should Home Rule be granted, this deliberate official utterance of a delegate of the United Irish League to America should be read and weighed." May we not say, with Gibbon, of the Nationalist movement at the present time. "The teeth and claws have been cut, but the nature of the tiger is the same" ?
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