MR CHAMBERLAIN ON THE POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1411, 22 June 1883, Page 2

MR CHAMBERLAIN ON THE POLICY OF THE GOVERNMENT.

After Mr Parnell had spoken on Mr', Gorst's amendment to the address, Mr. ; Chamberlain, President of the Board of Trade, and other gentlemen addressed the House/ From' Mr Chamberlain's speech we take the following passage :

It has been asserted again and again that I have been a party to intrigues ... within the: Cabinet having for .their... object the expulsion of nry right hon, . friend the member for Bradford, I '; must say that a charge of that kind '" pays a very poor compliment indeed to ;' my colleagues iu the Cabinet, w\ to my right Hon, friend the me'niS|r for Bradford, who is not a man to. be ex-' jA pelled by unworthy intrigues, I am content to refer to the statement of my right hon. friend himself, that while he was in the Government he was loyally supported by his colleagues.; \ ; For my own part I have to say -that. any communications received by me with reference to the ■Kilmainham transactions were communicated to me instantly by my right honorable frieud. He was as much a party to all that / took place whon he was a member of ' tho Government as I was myself. If I have ever differed from him I have frankly told him so, and I should be ashamed to'be a party to anything . like backstairs intrigue or unworthy \ motive, (Cheers). In this case twelve men thought tho prisoners ought to be released, mid one man thought not. That is the sole difference of opinion, ; My right hon. friend said he knew ■ • Ireland and that we did not. . Butmy right honorable friend was not the only man in the Cabinet who knew Ireland, The release of the prisoners was supported by Lord Spencer, whose administration satisfies you now. (Hear, ,;'.'. hear), It was supported by my noble friend: the Secretary of War, who ,-,.. formerly conducted the administration 4S chief Secretary; and it was supported by Lord. Carlinton,'who has also been Chief Secretary. My right hon. friend set his experience against those ■ four- members of the Cabinet who knew Ireland, .Well, Sir, there is one ,•; other object which has been perfectly j,' ■: evident throughout the whole course of the debate, and that is the desire on the part of hon. gentlemen opposite to discredit what they call the policy of . conciliation. They tako advantage of the excitement of the natural indignation which is caused by the disclosures inDublin of an assassination conspiracy in Ireland, and they try to divert that indignation, and to cause the whole people of Ireland to suffer for it. There can be nothing ruqre' unttatesmanlike than to refuse justice to Iraland (Opposition cries of "justice"). Yes, justice to Ireland (Ministerial cheers). Because a horde of assassins have been unmasked in Dublin we are told by the ex-Attorney-General for Ireland (Mr Gibson) that we are to rely entirely on the Crimes Act, Mr Gibson—l did not make that statement. '

Mr Chamberlain—the only effect of the speech of tho right lion. gentlen>tl was that at this time it was only 8y a firm administration of the Crimes Act.. and not by any remedial measures, that the difficulty in Ireland could be properly dealt with, Tho Crimes Act is for assassins; it is not for the people of Iroland (loud Ministerial choers.) What message are you going to send to the Irish people when the assassins, when the conspirators have, been crushed 1 How are we' to meet the discontent which it is admitted still prevails in the country ] Will it be possible that we can go on governing Ireland permanently by a system of absolute repression, and nothing else) How long will that policy bear the test of experience 1 How long is "England's danger" to be Ireland's opportunity] (Ministerial cheers.) How long will the people of this country tolerate such a policy as that—involving, as I said on another occasion, the existence of a Poland within four hours • of our shore,? (Opposition cries of "OhI" and Ministerial Cheers) That policy will break down in practice, as it deserves to break, down (Cheers), and then we shall be face to face once more with what has been called " The greatest problem of our time." If your only remedy'is repression, and more repression, then I say you are right, to be dissatisfied wity; the policy of Her Majesty's Government., But the policy of the Government remains now what it always has been—a two-fold policy - (cheers and counter, cheers)—a firm 'repression of crime and outrage, and at the same time a persistent search for the causes of crime and outrage and every endeavor 'to remove them." (Cheers). To carry out no other policy will we remain in office, (Cheers). We believe any other policy would be impracticable] if possible; immoral, unjust, and altogether unworthy of the Government of iai free' people. (Prolonged cheers.)' ! *

Little Bob—' Tom, why do you call mamma, mater \ What's mater mean 'V Tom—" Latin for mother, you know." Little Bob—" Oh 11 thought it was'because she-had to seVab'ouc getting:li'ua-- • " bands for'Fl'o And EdieHtiat BhVwW | ? ' mater,"