HOME RULE IN SCOTLAND.

Kumara Times, Issue 1034, 24 January 1880, Page 2

HOME RULE IN SCOTLAND.

At the two hundred and fifteenth anniversary festival of the Scottish Corporation, held on Dtec. Ist, the Earl of Rosebery, who occupied the chair, id giving the toast of the evening, “ The Scottish Corporation” said it had ofterl struck him as a marvellous feature in the national character of the Scottish people that when their more mercurial neighbors and fellow-subjects in Ireland were agitating for Home Rule there had never been any demand of that kind in the beloved laud- across the Tweed. (Cheers.) It was not for him to put before them the benefits which would arise from Home Rule in Scotland—(a laugh)—-but he might endeavour to indicate in the country . iri Which they sojourned what a dangerour question that of Home Rule would be for Scotland to tamper with. What would occur 1 In Edinburgh they would have a proud Parliament with all the modern improvements—(laughter) with a House of Lords, a House of 1 Commons, an Opposition, a gangway, a Black Rod, and heaven only knew what beside. '(Laughter.) The city would be rent asunder in the middle of its summer—when it had a summer (laughter)—by the competing attractions of the House of Lords, a House of Commons, three General Assemblies* and very likely an Episcopal Synod (laughter)—and that House of Lords and that House of Commons would * have the benefit of dealing comprehensively and intelligently with the political questions which were dffli' / to themselves, but the very naroeslir which, in the ears of Southerners, were such as to forbid their entertainment. (Laughter.) There was, however, a dark contrast to this pleasing picture. . Let them think of the, country they would have to leave, Suppose that, like Is*

tael, .they were to pass out of the Land of Goshen, and they took with them "their songs, their dishes—(laughter)— 'their musical instruments—(laughter)— their dances—why, they would not leave to England as much as the wooden figure, at the door of a snuff-shop. (Laughter.) St. Andrew’s Day would then be kept on this side of the border as a fast, and the Burns anniversary as a day of national humiliation. (Laughter.) Every now and then the tidings would reach the people of England of magnificent goings on in Scotlahd—of splendid festivities in the northern capital, of splendid debates in the purest Doric—(laughter)—of concerts at which nothing was heard Jbut the sound of the bag-pipes—(laughter)— of balls at which nothing .was danced hut the “ Hbitlichou”— (laughter)— and were the kilted leader of the Opposition was seen, forgetting his grievances against the Prime Minister,, in a Hue bonnet over a glass of whisky toddy (laughter) the savour of which would not lie forgotten by South, enters. (Laughter.) Such a project as that, if they could entertain it at all, .would, h.owever, be selfish. (Laughter.) They had no right to indulge themselves at the expense of others—(laughter) —and by depriving England of their pleasant presence they would be shutting, so to speak, “ the gates of inercy oh mankind.” (Cheers and laughter.)

For Remainder of news see last page,