LETTERS TO Tug :EDITOR.
NORTH BUCKS.
[To TIIII1 EDITOR Or THI 44 STICOTATOrt,..1 SIR,—Things come about. A parishioner of mine who has a brother in Cornwall, lent me a Cornish paper animadverting in a leading article on your reference to my recent political
action here. Also yesterday, the Grosvenor Club, I read your further remarks upon the subject.
Unhappily, ever since my neighbour, the Rev. C. W. Stabbe, left this part of the country, I seldom see the Spectator,. which represents me politically more nearly than any other paper. But you appear to me to ignore, in the present crisis, the demoralising effect and the perplexing tangle of Liberals voting persistently Conservative, or at least persistently for the Conservative Party, and for its "pray-do-keep-us-in-office measures, while still sitting on Opposition benches, and calling themselves—and, indeed, really continuing in most cases to- be—Liberals. They ought to feel like David when in the camp of Achish, but there is no slightest sign of the unpleasantness to them of their political propinquity to aliens and strangers. Conservatives are, of course, delighted with the Liberal Unionist support that barely stops short at Primrose Leaguism. But when what was meant to be temporary alliance threatens to become chronic inconsistency, the situa- tion begins to shift, and the Rubicon comes into view. Will Lord Hartington cross it, or remain for ever on its brink?
Yes, I know quite well what you will aay Home-rule still overrides all other matters.' Sir, with respect, it does not_ Mr. Chamberlain said, convincingly enough, yesterday that its dead body is carried in front, but that that is all. Irishmen. are made to half-believe that it is still the figure-head of the- party, but even Archbishop Croke knows better.
And if it were? Even then Liberal Unionists could do their work whenever "Fenian" or other unconstitutional and separationist Home-rule came to the front. Do you for tu moment believe that Mr. Gladstone could carry Home-rule in face of Conservative opposition and pertinacity, backed by Liberal Unionist recurring (and not chronic) alliance ad hoc What is chiefly to be feared is that the Conservative Party will itself make a big bid for Irish votes by giving Ireland Home-rule under some euphemistic title, as it gives Free Education under the name of "assisted." Our Liberal clothing is being stolen from us while we bathe in the waters of Unionism so called, if helping Conservatives to keep hold of the reins in reality.
The situation is so perplexing, that no Liberal Unionist can possibly help being inconsistent one way or another. But some of us show suspicious felicity in Conservative toils. If others manifest a little impatient desire to fall into anti. Conservative line, can you wonder, ought you to reprobate P- I am, Sir, &c.,
[Dr. James does not see that Tory Democracy or Conserva- tive Liberalism, whichever you like to call it, is really a great deal more progressive than Liberalism itself was before 1885. Moreover, he ignores the enormous and disastrous effect which would be produced in Ireland by the defeat of the present Government, even if Mr. Gladstone strove quite in vain to carry his Home-rule measure.—En. Spectator.]
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