in which Mr. Gladstone declared
his mind to be open on the subject, and invited the Nationalists to
propound a practicable scheme of self-government, had encouraged us to
hope that this day might soon arrive.

SESSION OF 1883.--Three facts stood out in the history of this
comparatively quiet session, each of which brought us further along the
road we had entered.

One was the omission of Parliament to complete the work begun by the
Land Bill of 1881, of improving the condition of the Irish peasantry and
reorganizing Irish administration. The Nationalist members brought in
Bills for these purposes, including one for amending the Land Act by
admitting leaseholders to its benefits and securing tenants against
having their improvements reckoned against them in the fixing of rents.
Though we could not approve all the contents of these Bills, we desired
to see the Government either take them up and amend them, or introduce
Bills of its own to do what was needed. Some of us spoke strongly in
this sense, nor will any one now deny that we were right. Sound policy
called aloud for the completion of the undertaking of 1881. The
Government however refused, alleging, no doubt with some truth, that
Ireland could not have all the time of Parliament, but must let England
and Scotland have their turn. Nor was anything done towards the creation
of new local institutions in Ireland, or the reform of the Castle
bureaucracy. We were profoundly disheartened. We saw golden
opportunities slipping away, and doubted more than ever whether
Westminster was the place in which to legislate for Irish grievances.

Another momentous fact was the steady increase in the number of
Nationalist members. Every seat that fell vacant in Ireland was filled
by them. The moderate Irish party, most of whom had by this time crossed
the floor of the House, and were sitting among us, had evidently no
future. They were estimable, and, in some cases, able men, from whom we
had hoped much, as a link between the Liberal party and the Irish
people. But they seemed to have lost their hold on the people, nor were
they able to give us much practical counsel as to Irish problems. It was
clear that they would vanish at the next General Election, and
Parliament be left to settle accounts with the extreme men, whose
spirits rose as those of our friends steadily sank.

Lastly: it was in this session that the alliance of the Nationalists and
the Tory Opposition became a potent