r-hearted, kinder, more obliging people
never lived," said this excellent judge, who after twenty-seven years
of police service, returned to end his days among them. And my short
experience of the Sligo folks confirms this statement. They were not
all so reserved as Detective-sergeant Magee. A thriving shopkeeper
said:--"The majority, if you count noses, are for Home Rule, but if
you count only brains and intelligence you would find an overwhelming
majority against it. Mr. Gladstone and his set of blockheads seem
quite impervious to reason, and even the constituencies of England
seem to lack information. The reason is plain. While we have been
minding our work the Nationalists have been agitating. For thirteen
years they have been on the stump, and have stolen a march on us and
they take a lot of catching up. We allowed them to empty their
wind-bags, forgetting that the English people were not so conversant
with the facts or with the character of the orators as we are. We
thought that no precautions were required, and that their preposterous
statements would be received in England as intelligent, enlightened
people would receive them here. Their strength in Ireland is almost
entirely among the illiterates, who in the polling booths are coerced
by their priests. I have seen a man crying because he had not been
allowed to vote for the candidate supported by his employer. Such a
ridiculous thing could not happen in England, and Englishmen who do
not know Ireland and the Irish will scarcely credit it. This shows how
unable most Saxons are to understand Irish character and motive.

"All our civilisation is from England, all our progress, all our
enlightenment, and nearly all our money. As a poor, helpless,
semi-barbaric country, we ought to cleave to England with all our
might and main. A more and more complete and perfect unity is our best
hope. To ask for separation is the wildest absurdity. And just as we
were beginning to go along smoothly! That was entirely due to the just
but firm administration of the Balfour period.

"Among Irishmen justice with firmness is always appreciated in the
long run. An Irish Secretary needs the hand of iron in the velvet
glove. Paddy spots the philanthropic fumbler in a moment, and uses
him, laughing the while at what he rightly calls his 'philandering.'
Morley means well, but nobody here respects him. He knows no more of
Irish character than a blind bull-pup. His master in my opinion is