Mr. Dillon, in his speech at the Dublin meeting of
the Irish National Federation on Wednesday, gave us all to understand that Mr. Gladstone had privately agreed to terms which will completely satisfy Ireland, but which we should not at all expect to satisfy. Mr. Fowler. He said pretty clearly that if the Irish demands had been pressed on Mr. Gladstone, and accepted by him before the General Election, "the verdict of England would probably have been given, not for Home- rule, but against it." It was given against it, and very 'decidedly against it as it was, though not so decidedly, un- fortunately, as in 1886. But what Mr. Dillon means is that England would have been so much disgusted by learning the extent of Mr. Gladstone's surrender, that he would not have gained a majority at all. We think it very likely. Mr. Dillon is also reported to have said that the Irish Members are in possession of "understandings and agreements" with Mr. Gladstone, which, if properly carried out, will satisfy the Irish people. Yes, but will they satisfy the English people and Mr. Fowler? According to the Daily Chronicle, the understandings had agreements hand over completely "police and justiciary" to the Dublin Parliament, prohibit a separate Irish Customs House, give to the Crown a veto on Irish Bills to be exercised on the advice of the British Minister, and retain thirty Irish Members in the British Parliament to legislate on English and Scotch affairs as well as Irish affairs. If this be so, will Mr. Fowler approve of it ? It gives no power of interfering with the acts of an Irish Administration, and it is the Irish Administration which most seriously and dangerously threatens the Irish minority.
Previous page
