LORD SALISBURY ON THE IRISH QUESTION.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3734, 20 September 1886, Page 3

LORD SALISBURY ON THE IRISH QUESTION.

At tho Lord Mayor's banquet held at the Mansion Houso on tho ovening of Aug. 11th, lord Salisbury, who was heartily cheered on rising, congratulated those present on the result of the elections, and expressed his pleasure at Lord Bosebery's consistent continuance of tho foreign policy that raised England m tho estimation of the nation 3, ■whoso people wero yearly showing a desire for peace which would bo maintained if tho rulors wero guided by their peoples' wills. Ho regretted there still remained subjects for painful meditation. "Every day's news," he Baid, " reminds mo that Ireland is not inhabitatod by a concordant and hornogeaou people. It is too early to enter into details, but it is the duty of every government to devoto its whole energies to freeing tho loyal peoplo of Ireland from tho constraint exercised upon thorn, whether m tho form of riot, or m tho dangerou3 and insiduous form: of outrage and intimidation. Whilst admitting tho groat difficulty and responsibility of tho task which is so great that previous Governments equally anxious with ourselves only succeeded temporarily and to an imperfect extent, wo possess an advantago over our predecessors, which wo hope to turn to good uso. Wo have a mandate from the people deciding finally, and, m my opinion irrevocably, the question which ha 3 wrecked the peaco of Ireland. (Choers.) Tho question of independent government m Ireland after deep discussion mid advocacy by the most powerful statesmon this country has over seen, has been rejected emphatically and unequivocally by an enormous majority of tho peoplo of thi3 country. (Loud cheers.) It is not unworthy to remark that most of the voices m favour of separation, have been obtained by the personal influence of ono great statesman, nnd on other considerations apart from tho merits of this question. I believe that our opponents will eventually admit that this is England's final decision, armed with which it is our duty to restore m Ireland that social order, the" loss of which is its only just cause of discontent. lam convinced that m such a policy wo shall find tho strongest support m that enormous population of which you are the true representatives. (Cheers )"