The Irish Nationalist Convention met in Dublin on Tuesday to
consider the Home Rule Bill, and unanimously agreed to accept it as an honest and generous attempt to settle the Irish question. The Times correspondent describes the meeting as a magnificent piece of organization. There was a packed and enthusiastic audience and much speech-making, but no attempt was made seriously to discuss the Bill. The criticisms by the General Council of County Councils might never have been uttered. Mr. Redmond directed all his eloquence to showing how well worthy of acceptance the Bill was. He argued that it gave Ireland control of nine-tenths of her services, but did not say that the other tenth represents the larger portion of Irish expenditure. Mr. Devlin, who was re- sponsible for the organization of the meeting, had arranged some dramatic surprises. For instance, the Mayor of Cork, who succeeded an O'Brienite in the office a few days ago, seconded Mr. Redmond's resolution. Then Mr. W. G. C. Gladstone, grandson of "the Arch Home Ruler," made a speech amid rapturous applause. The second resolution was seconded by a Protestant clergyman, who prophesied that when the Bill became law Ulster would take its proper place in the government of the country. The Convention was in fact all that Mr. Redmond desired. Nationalist criticism of the Bill, which notoriously exists, will have to make itself felt through other channels.
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