268 LIFE AND EXPERIENCES 



whilst not binding myself to details, I accept heartily 

 Mr. Gladstone's proposal to grant to Ireland her just demands 

 for a distinct legislative body, to deal with affairs exclusively 

 and specifically Irish. In doing so, I am only carrying out 

 the programme which I suggested in my address last No- 

 vember, viz., that of governing Ireland rather according to 

 Irish than according to English ideas. It is my earnest con- 

 viction that in thus giving to Ireland the right of self-govern- 

 ment, we are endangering neither the supremacy of the 

 Imperial Parliament nor the unity of the Empire. On the 

 contrary, I believe that the delegation to Ireland of the 

 management of her own local affairs by a body subordinate 

 to Parliament will tend not only to strengthen our Imperial 

 Legislature, but will increase the power and welfare of the 

 Empire by uniting Ireland to us by ties of friendship and 

 interest far more binding than those of a paper union upheld 

 by force against the wishes of her people. 



I deny that those who support this policy are Separatists, 

 for I do not believe that self-government in Ireland will ever 

 lead to separation ; nor am 1 the least inclined to share the 

 gloomy views entertained by some of the future of the Pro- 

 testant minority under the proposed new Constitution. I see 

 no reason to doubt that their rights will be duly respected, 

 and I believe that in due course they will work loyally with 

 their fellow- Irishmen for the welfare of their common 

 country. 



From 1886 to 1892 I sat on the Opposition benches, 

 and I frequently went down to Manchester to speak on 

 political questions. 



On April 28th, 1887, a great meeting was held 

 in the St. James's Hall, Manchester, to protest against 

 the Coercion Bill of the Government. There was an 

 enormous attendance, and the proceedings were har- 

 monious and enthusiastic. Mr. H. J. Roby was in the 

 chair, and I seconded a resolution condemning the Coer- 

 cion Acts. I said that the whole difference between 

 the two contending parties in the State, for there 

 were in reality only two parties, might be summed up 

 in very few words: we trusted the Irish people to 

 work out their own salvation, and our opponents 



