dder in such a
masterly way, that in whichever direction the winds of heaven may blow
they must fill his sails. Supposing that at an election public opinion
should be very strong in favour of the bill, my right hon. friend would
then be perfectly prepared to meet that public opinion, and tell it, 'I
declared strongly that I adopted the principle of the bill.' On the other
hand, if public opinion were very adverse to the bill, he again is in
complete armour, because he says, 'Yes, I voted against the bill.'
Supposing, again, public opinion is in favour of a very large plan for
Ireland, my right hon. friend is perfectly provided for that case also.
The government plan was not large enough for him, and he proposed in his
speech on the introduction of the bill that we should have a measure on
the basis of federation, which goes beyond this bill. Lastly--and now I
have very nearly boxed the compass--supposing that public opinion should
take quite a different turn, and instead of wanting very large measures
for Ireland, should demand very small measures for Ireland, still the
resources of my right hon. friend are not exhausted, because he is then
able to point out that the last of his plans was for four provincial
circuits controlled from London." All these alternatives and provisions
were visibly "creations of the vivid imagination, born of the hour and
perishing with the hour, totally unavailable for the solution of a great
and difficult problem."

Now, said the orator, was one of the golden moments of our history, one of
those opportunities which may come and may go, but which rarely return, or
if they return, return at long intervals, and under circumstances which no
man can forecast. There was such a golden moment in 1795, on the mission
of Lord Fitzwilliam. At that moment the parliament of Grattan was on the
point of solving the Irish problem. The cup was at Ireland's lips, and she
was ready to drink it, when the hand of England rudely and ruthlessly
dashed it to the ground in obedience to the wild and dangerous intimations
of an Irish faction. There had been no great day of hope for Ireland
since, no day when you might completely and definitely hope to end the
controversy till now--more than ninety years. The long periodic time had at
last run out, and the star had again mounted into the heavens.

This strain of living passion was sustained with all its fire and speed to
the very close. "Ireland stands at your bar expe