Mr. Dillon and Mr. O'Brien have been mouthing their Irish
Nationalism at Limerick this week. On Wednesday, Mr. Dillon, speaking from the window of the hotel, exhorted the Anti-Parnellites " to sweep out of the country every trace of English domination and English dictation," which is equivalent to an exhortation to sweep out of the country every trace of liberty of speech and action for those Irishmen (between a million and a half and two millions) who prefer the existing Union to any sort of Home-rule. Mr. O'Brien also depre- cated any policy which would invite the Nationalists to make themselves slaves of " any English party." It was perfectly possible, he said,—" though, thank God, not in the least likely," —that if Mr. Gladstone comes into power, it might be their duty to hunt him out of it again ; but he denied that it was just to assume that Mr. Gladstone's Irish Home-rule Bill, if he did return to office, would he a Coercion Bill in disguise; and besides, he would never come into office, if the Parnellite Party succeeded in persuading British constituencies that Irish Nationalists were disunited and at odds with each other. It is plain enough that if Mr. Gladstone does win at the General Election, he will either have to alienate the moderate English Home-rulers, or to face a very ungrateful and angry Irish Party.
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