land. The wiser course of accepting Irish
advice in Irish affairs has always turned the tide of disaster, and
brought the hope of a new happiness for Ireland. Surely here we have a
convincing proof that the logical consummation of this policy by the
restoration of Home Rule is the only means of bringing back Ireland to
a full and secure enjoyment of lasting well-being.

* * * * *

FOOTNOTES:

[65] For confirmation of this see Lecky's "Leaders of Public Opinion in
Ireland," Vol. I., p. 120.

[66] It is clear from Lecky's account that Lord Fitzwilliam's recall
was due, not so much to any change of policy in London as to his action
in dismissing Beresford, one of the most prominent figures of the Irish
Protestant Party.

[67] There is a very close and minute account of the growth of Irish
prosperity under the Grattan Parliament in O'Connell's great Repeal
speeches to the British Parliament in 1834. Between 1782 and 1797 the
consumption of coffee in Ireland went up by 600 per cent., the
consumption of tea by 84 per cent., of tobacco by 100 per cent., and
wine by 74 per cent. All these figures ran down rapidly after 1800.

[68] The Irish Parliament House, built in the eighteenth century, was,
after the Act of Union, handed over to the Bank of Ireland. The House
of Lords has been left intact, but special secret instructions were
given that the Irish House of Commons should be divided into
compartments in order that the memories of the Irish Parliament should
be forgotten. Those instructions were carried out, and the Chamber of
the Irish House of Commons ceased to exist.

HOME RULE IN THE WORLD

THE CASE FROM ANALOGY

"I wish the Irish were negroes, and then we should have an
advocate in the Hon. Baronet. His erratic humanity wanders
beyond the ocean, and visits the hot islands of the West
Indies, and thus having discharged the duties of kindness
there, it returns burning and desolating, to treat with
indignity and to trample upon the people of Ireland."

O'CONNELL.

CHAPTER IX.

HOME RULE IN THE WORLD

"Ah!" but I shall be told by Unionist critics who have followed me so
far, "but the tendency of the world at present is all towards great
empires and away from little states. You are reversing the process."

This will probably be one of the most frequent arguments that w