The Earl and Countess of Aberdeen.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 93, 21 April 1887, Page 4

The Earl and Countess of Aberdeen.

We very cordially endorse the movement which is being set on foot to welcome the Earl and Countess of Aberdeen on their arrival here by the Zealandia next Monday. Scotchmen are never backward in extending the right hand to distinguished countrymen; and in assembling to greet the Earl and Countess they" have the hearty sympathy of their Celtic brethren of the Emerald Isle. Indeed, Irishmen will not soon forget the substantial sympathy given to their cause bythe trreat Scottish majority in the last general Sections. If the decision had been left to the voice of the Liberal North, Ireland would have bad Home Rule, and Lord Salisbury might have spared his Coercion Bill for the Zulus or other enlightened peoples. Earl Aberdeen represented the opinions of the masses of his countrymen durhighisatlministrationoftheonerousomce of the Lord-Lieutenancy under the Gladstone Ministry. - He went.. to Ireland under great prejudice, and left with the hearty {"•oodwill of the whole people.who recognised liis ability, his warm sympathy and earnest desire to do right. It" is apt often that the colonies receive so notable a man, and it is something to make him feel that for a British statesman there is a world-wide renown. That in these colonies, where we have worked out the difficult problem of perfect democratic freedom allied _to genuine loyalty to the Crown and Empire, the efforts of great men in the old world to rid humanity of the evil legacies of a dead, past, enlist the warmest sympathy of millions of intelligent men. Sir George Grey has been asked to take the lead in the matter, and would willingly do so, but that his Legislative duties call him to Wellington by the stearaer leaving next Sunday. It is possible, however, that he may still make arrangements to stay over.