MB. CHAMBERLAIN AGAIN ON THE IRISH QUESTION.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XI, Issue 42, 15 February 1884, Page 21

MB. CHAMBERLAIN AGAIN ON THE IRISH QUESTION.

A MASS meeting of English Liberals was held in the Agricultural Hall. Wolyerhampton, on Tuesday night, Dec. 11. Amongst those present was the Bight Hon. J. Chamberlain, President of the Board of Trade. About 3,000 people were present. In the course of the proceedings a vote of unabated confidence in the Government was moved and carried unanimously. Mr. Chamberlain responded, and from bis speech we take the following references to Ireland :— We are told that there is disaffection and discontent in Ireland. Gentlemen, that is unfortunately true. Let us not shut our eyes to the gravity of the situation. It is not surprising that many men should hesitate in view of such a condition of things. But I imagine that the first consideration that will have weight with every Liberal is that is his bounden duty to do all in his power to remove all Irish, causes of discontent and disaffection (cheers). Well, now, there ara some people who are very indignant, whea ever anyone in authority admits that the Irish people have still some cause for disaffection, but I will put the state of the case before you, and I will appeal to you, whether, patient as you are, enduring as you are, you would tolerate without murmuring such a sham, such a fraud, such a trans* parent imposture as the present Irish Parliamentary system. la Great Britain — that is in England and Scotland— one person ia tea in a population has a vote, and we think it too few ; but in Ireland only one person in 25 is on the register (cries of "shame "). Taking the adult males in England and (Scotland three out of eight ara electors, whereas in Ireland the proportion is only one to six. The political condition of Ireland at the present moment is not so favourable in this respect as the condition of England and Scotland was before the last Keform Bill. Sixteen years have passed since then, and we have been complaining ever since. We have said that that settlement was altogether inadequate and insufficient, and yet oar Irish fellow-subjects have not even at this moment attained to the point which 16 years ago we thought to be altogether insufficient. I don't believe that if this inequality had existed in either, England or Scotland it would have been tolerated so long (hea? hear). To perpetuate it now would be to justify disaffection, to put in the mouths of the leaders of the national party the strongest argument they could have for separation, because it would show the impossibility of obtaining justice from the British Parliament, and it would stimulate and give fresh vigour to the agitation which it in our interest to allay and put an end to (cheers).