THE POLITICAL CRISIS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2308, 31 May 1886, Page 2

THE POLITICAL CRISIS IN GREAT BRITAIN.

The Bth of April, 1886, is perhaps destined to be an ever memorable data in

the history of England yet to be written. Whatever the ultimate issue, it will bo

regarded as the commencement of a new departure in the relations between Eng-

land and Ireland, for whether the mea-

sure on which Mr Gladstone is staking his fame at the close of an almost

tinparallelled career, becomes law or not it is absolutely certain that Pitt's Act of Union between the two countries is, as

regards ita essential privelege, a dead letter. Tho measure of the present ' Government may not be accepted by tho Commons, almost certainly will not be aooepted by the Lords, should it ever reach the Upper House, but if „the majority in the Commons, whichever way it may be cast, justifies tho; step, it is probable there will be an appeal to the country, and upon decision of the ballot boxes will depend not the principle of Home Rule (that is practically conceded) but its measuro and character whether, viz., it is of the nature of Mr Chamberlain's National Council, or a full and free ' Parliament possessing every legislative function except the power to levy Customß and to declare peace or war, The scene at Westminster has been unequalled. Members, commenced arriving before the servants of the Howe were up: but at 6.30 a.m., some of the Irishmen managed to secure thoir places, . and from that timo till'noon the cry was, " Still they come." In fact; moat of the 670 members, except the chiefs of the Opposition and the Cabinetj Ministera, took up their abqde witliin the precincta of the Palace for'the entire day, and for whose convenience the caterers in'the Refreshment Department had mada ample preparation, At 25 minutes to 5 Mr Gladstone rose, and, in a; speech of three hours and 20 minutes, brought his indictment against the existing institutions and propounded his remedy. Briefly, Ireland iB to have an indepon- - ; dant Parliament, olected urider a double ' franchise, Buch that the Protestant minor- . ity mav be proportionally 'represented'; tho existing regime will be entirely remodelled ; the officers of law, : and jilstice will be gradually renovated with fresh"' blood, and tho old members?* retired as quickly as possible. The Viceroy will bo retained, but the present' religious distinctions will be swept away, and ho, sa representing the Crown, will haue a veto, aB in colonial Legislatures,'.'-As to contributions to the national-exchoquor, Ireland will contribute ono fifteenth to i the necossary expenditure of the coun- / try, but she will send no representatives 1 whatever to Westminster. ; 'lhu present twenty-eight Irish peers who i sit in tho Upper House will have tho option of sitting in tho fiißt. Parliaments that assemble on St Stephen's. Green, bub it does not appear that their ordor will bo. renewed as they becomo gradually extinct, ■ The questions with which the Assembly will not be allowed "to deal aro those belonging to foreign affairs, the army and navy, Customs and Excise, nor .wiU it be permitted to endow or patronise any form of religion. • '/,•» i What'the country will, fty ' generally to this trenchant (jL'emains to be seen. - It appearstomeerae views of the Irish party with gome exceptions, but the defection of jo important a section of the Radical party as that represented by Mr Chamberlain, Mr Trevelyan, Mr Jeßso CoDines, when united to the whigß under Lord Hartington, Sir. Bemyjamea, and'aided by the Conservatives, who will, y.ote like Bheep, ofcourse,' rciiders the chaiico of amajority oh the second ■ reading aa : exceedingly ■ doubtful, ; Perhaps'at best the measure will act'only* as a ventilator to the whole question. The total exclhsibn of Irish ' mombera from Westminster, is much to be regretted, as it will'tend'-to emphasize the policy o[ separation; and, besides, it hot quite fair if Ireland ia ' to. contribute her share to the : Imperial taxation. Otherwise, undoubtedly : these gentlemen will mostly be missed," but scarcely wan.' ted, except in so far as by the aid of their native wit they in enlivening the dullneM of debate.-Naw Zealand Times,