re to frame its own laws, disorder
and outrage will be put down with an iron hand. We have no law at
present. Put an Irish Parliament in Dublin, and we would arrange to
hang up moonlighters to the nearest tree. Everybody would support the
law if imposed from Dublin. They resent it as imposed by Englishmen in
London."

"I am not in favour of handing over the government of Ireland to the
present leaders of the Irish party. I believe that, once granted Home
Rule, they would disappear into private life, and that we should
replace them by better men. What reason for believing this? Oh, I
think the people would begin to feel their responsibility. Do I think
the idea of 'responsibility' is their leading idea? Perhaps not at
this moment, but they will improve. You think that the people may be
fairly expected to return the same class of men? Perhaps so. I hope
not. I should think they would see the necessity of sending men of
position and property. Why don't they send them now? Simply because
they won't come forward; that class of men do not believe in Home
Rule."

I humbly submitted that this would prevent their coming forward in
future, and that if Home Rule were admittedly bad under the present
leaders, there was really no case to go to a jury, as there was no
evidence before the court to show that the leaders would be dropped.
On the contrary, there was every probability that the victorious
promoters of the bill would be returned by acclamation. Further, that
if Home Rule be gladly accepted as a pearl of great price, to drop the
gainers thereof, to dismiss the men who had borne the burden and heat
of the day, would be an act of shabbiness unworthy the proverbial
gratitude and generosity of the Irish people.

Alderman Downing would only exclude them from Parliamentary place, and
would not exclude all even then. The bulk of them might be found some
sort of situation where decent salaries would atone for the dropping.
Would that be jobbery? "Ah, you ask too many questions."

Let it be noted that although the greater part of the Irish
Nationalist members are everywhere rejected beforehand by superior
Home Rulers, as unfit for an Irish Parliament, they are apparently for
that very reason sent to the House of Commons as the best sort to
tease the brutal Saxon. The bulldog is not the noblest, nor the
handsomest, nor the swiftest, nor the most faithful, nor the most
sagacious, nor the most pleasant companion of the canine world