WILL STANDORFALL TOGETHER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1894, 31 October 1913, Page 7

WILL STANDORFALL TOGETHER.

UNIONIST LEADER'S PLEDGE TO ULSTER, BRITAIN'S GRAVE PERIL. , SPEECH BY MR. BONAR LAW. ] i By Telegraph—Press Association—Gopj-rleht , (Rec. October 30, 9.45 p.m.) : London, October 80. ' Mr. Bonar Law, Leader of the Union- \ ist party, addressing fifteen, thousand ' people at Wallsond, easd that the pledge made at Blenheim on behalf of tlie party still held. He" had followed Sir Edward Carson's proceedings with the deepest sympathy, nml believed that the people of Ulster had shown throughout impressive qualities of determination and restraint. No bitter hostility ■had'" been manifested towards Nationalists. 11l all Sir Edward Carson'a speeches his opponents would find no words of' religious bigotry or any attack on the feelings of any Catholic. "We will stand together," Eaid Mr. Bonn? Law. "and, if necessary, fall together. (Cheers.) It is due to Sir Edward Oarson alone that Ulster's passions have been restrained. Britain, never stood in graver peril; the position is comparable to that in America before the Civil War." Ha added that While the chief responsibility rested with' the Government, the' Unionists also had some responsibility; but in sucli a crisis any question of party ndviintnge should not weigh with them. It was as du.st in the balance. The Government would be committing a crimo if it pressed forward to extremes without consulting the icloctorato. The Premier had claimed that the peoplo wore behind him. Why not test itP Sir. Asquith either feared tlie result or his bargain with the Nationalists prevented Trim from doing his duty to the country. Tho Unionists, he continued, had Opposed Home Rule because they_ considered that an intolerable injustice would be imposed -upon Ulster if it were forced out of tho Union .against its will. He believed that an Irish Parliament wou'id bo a danger to tho nation, and to tho Empire, a national tragedy to which tho country was drifting if tho Government's policy wero carried out. The responsibility must rest with the Government. Tho Unionists were prepared to abide by an appeal to tho people. Mr. Asquith's declaration that lie had a mandate from tho country was absolutely unfounded. Such a claim could only bo made by a blind partisan. It was an insult to the pcoplo's intelligence. ' .. • Tho Home Rule question had been kept like a skeleton in a cupboard. A wonderful land campaign had been sprung on tho country to district its attention from Home Rule, afid tho Chancellor had bean.wisely chosen as a crusader, for h.e possessed all the qualities of a crusader. (Laughter.) Mr. Llovd-George was a "crooked sixpence, and the Radicals he had behind him had more colossal and ludicrous failures than ever before had hung- round tho neck of a statesman. Even if Government possessed a Home Rule mandate, a new fact had emerged, to alter tho situation, namely, Ulster had refused to sumbit unless conquered. Thereforo, said the speaker, the people had to decide _ whethor Ulster should bo dragooned into Home Rule. It was tho Government's duty to assert the law if it did not exceed the powers entrusted to it by the nation, but the Government's view was that the Executive could not do wrong. If the Government exceeded its powers, it ceased to be tt constitutional Government. "Tilery are three alternatives for the Government," said Mr.'Bonar Law. "First, to go full steam ahead—that way madness lies; secondly, to obtain people's judgment—that is the Government's duty; thirdly, to try and arrange for a settlement to obviate civil war?' Tho moment tho Government carried tho Bill, a collision. would bo inevitable, after which an election must follow, and blood shed for nil election would annihilate tho Government. Ho was ready to make any sacrifico short of tho national interests, to secittea settlement, and would cordially consider any pro* posals Mr. Asquith aught submit. Sir Edward Carson, following Mr. Bonar Law, declared that ho would no more bo intimidated than would Mr. Asquith. Ho would consider all overtures to Ulster wiiei: put into plain language, and ttould submit them with tho best advice to those who trusted him, but ho would tell tho Government that any offer' Wns useless unless consistent with the Covenantee which the Government had driven Ulster. If no offer- was made, lie Would help his comrades to fight to the bitter end.

"ULSTER MUST BE PLACATED." WHAT "THE TIMES" ,THINKS OF RECENT LIBERAL SPEECHES. > "Times" —Sydney "Sun" Special Cables. London; October 29. "The Times," commenting on the changed situation with regard to Home Rule, says that "tho purport of the latest speeches of the Liberal leaders is that tho Government recognises that the opposition of Ulster must seriously bs considered, and, if possible, placated. Wo welcome tho change, without building too many hopes on it."

EX-CABINET MINISTER'S DEFIANCE. "Timos"—Sydney "Sun" Special Cables. (Rec. October 30, 7.15 p.m.) , London, October 29. Lord I/ondondorry, stating that Mr. Asquith' would employ tho army to shoot down tho Ulster resistors, observed: "If that happens, I will bo there with the men of Ulster. There aro a hundred thousand men ready to resist Homo Rule by armed force."

ULSTER ENLISTMENTS IN CANADA.. (Reo. Gotobor 30, 10.35 p.m.) Toronto,. October 30. Tho Press publishes stories of tho formation of a Unionist League, and the enrollingof ox-soldiers to fight on behalf of ulster. 1 Fifteen hundred, it is stated, aro already available, and other cities are reported to bo preparing to render aid