respects local
matters, while preserving intact the supremacy of the British Parliament
and the integrity of the Empire.

3. They enabled the British Parliament to govern the British Empire
without any obstructive Irish interference.

To the first of these propositions no attempt at an answer has been
made. The Land Bill was never considered on its merits; indeed, was
never practically discussed, but was at once swept into oblivion by the
wave which overwhelmed the Home Rule Bill.

The contention against the second proposition was concerned in proving
that the supremacy of the British Parliament was not maintained: the
practical answer to this objection has been given above. Pushed to its
utmost, it could only amount to proof that an amendment ought to have
been introduced in Committee, declaring, in words better selected than
those introduced for that purpose in the Bill, that nothing in the Act
should affect the supremacy of the British Parliament. In short, the
whole discussion here necessarily resolved itself into a mere verbal
squabble as to the construction of a clause in a Bill not yet in
Committee, and had no bottom or substance.

It was also urged that the concession of self-government to Ireland was
but another mode of handing over the Loyalist party--or, as it is
sometimes called, the English garrison--to the tender mercies of the
Parnellites. The reply to this would seem to be, that as respects
property the Land Bill effectually prevented any interference of the
Irish Parliament with the land; nay, more, enabled any Irishman desirous
of turning his land into money to do so on the most advantageous terms
that ever had been--and with a falling market it may be confidently
prophesied ever can be--offered to the Irish landlord; while as respect
life and liberty, were it possible that they should be endangered, it
was the duty of the imperial officer, the Lord Lieutenant, to take means
for the preservation of peace and good order; and behind him, to enforce
his behests, stand the strong battalions who, to our sorrow be it
spoken, have so often been called upon to put down disturbance and
anarchy in Ireland.

Competing plans have been put forward, with more or less detail, for
governing Ireland. The suggestion that Ireland should be governed as a
_Crown_ colony need only be mentioned to be rejected. It means in
effect, that Ireland should sink from the rank of an equal or
independent member of the British Em