ther by the force of a dominating
Government, restrained, as it is found to be, by the self-imposed
bonds of a democratic legislature. But there is the feud, and the
battle, and the roaring of the cannons is heard afar off.

I now purpose to describe in a very few words the nature of the
warfare. It may be said that the existence of Ireland as a province
of England depends on the tenure of the land. If the land were to be
taken altogether from the present owners, and divided in perpetuity
among any possible number of tenants, so as to be the property of
each tenant, without payment of any rent, all England's sense of
justice would be outraged, the English power of governing would be
destroyed, and all that could then be done by England would be to
give a refuge to the present owners till the time should come for
righting themselves, and they should be enabled to make some further
attempt for the recovery of their possessions. This would probably
arrive, if not sooner, from the annihilation of the new proprietors
under the hands of their fellow-countrymen to whom none of the spoil
had been awarded. But English statesmen,--a small portion, that is,
of English statesmen,--have wished in their philanthropy to devise
some measure which might satisfy the present tenants of the land,
giving them a portion of the spoil; and might leave the landlords
contented,--not indeed with their lot, which they would feel to be
one of cruel deprivation, but with the feeling that something had
at any rate been left to them. A compromise would be thus effected
between the two classes whose interests have always been opposed to
each other since the world began,--between the owners of property and
those who have owned none.

The statesmen in question have now come into power by means of their
philanthropy, their undoubted genius, and great gifts of eloquence.
They have almost talked the world out of its power of sober judgment.
I hold that they have so succeeded in talking to the present House
of Commons. And when the House of Commons has been so talked into
any wise or foolish decision, the House of Lords and the whole
legislating machinery of the country is bound to follow.

But how should their compromises be effected? It does not suit the
present writer to name any individual statesman. He neither wishes to
assist in raising a friend to the gods, or to lend his little aid in
crushing an enemy. But to the Liberal statesmen of the day, men