dependent
Irish nation,' and J.E. Redmond in March last said that it was the
utmost folly to talk of finality in connection with the Home Rule
Bill. Then you must remember what Parnell said about taking off his
coat. He would not have done it for anything short of independence.
Mr. Gladstone himself saw through this, and with all other Liberals
consistently and determinedly opposed every demand for Home Rule until
his desire for power compelled him to surrender unconditionally to
Parnell. At Aberdeen the G.O.M. said,--'Can any sensible man, can any
rational man, suppose that at this time of day we are going to
disintegrate the great capital institutions of the country for the
purpose of making ourselves ridiculous in the eyes of all mankind?' No
sane man ever supposed it, no honest man ever believed that Mr.
Gladstone would ever sell himself to Irish traitors for a short period
of power. The thing was incredible. In another speech Mr. Gladstone
said he would never consent to give Ireland any principle which could
not be given on equal terms to Scotland or any other part of the
Kingdom. So we may expect Scotch and Welsh Home Rule bills after this,
and then a separate Parliament for every country that wants it.
There's the speech, you can copy the reference.

"England is like an old-established business with a shop over the way
which only just pays, and is an awful lot of trouble; in fact, more
trouble than it's worth. You might say, let it go then. But if you let
it go somebody else will take it, and run in opposition. Home Rule
means the immediate return of the Irish-American ruffians who were
here during the Fenian agitation, or their successors. Home Rule means
that armed rebellion can be organised with much more reasonable
chances of success. The police will be under the control of traitors,
and it took you all your time to keep the country in order when the
police were in your own hands. Whatever happens to John Bull will be
the proper reward of his asinine stupidity. He'll have his hands full,
with an Irish Parliament against him. And if he gets a big quarrel on
his hands with Russia or France, or any other powerful military
nation, that is the time he'll feel it. Are you going to put into the
hands of your enemies the power to ruin you merely by biding their
time?"

I saw several other Enniskilleners, but they added nothing to the
disquisitions of those already quoted. A feeling of deep disgust was
the prevaili