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resented the transference of the management of their local affairs
to a body which, as they conceive, is unable to appreciate their
feelings and to deal practically and uprightly with them. The effect
of these two causes of discontent is that it calls into existence the
law of action and reaction. We see the distress in the West
of Ireland; we hear of the distress which is stated to be in other
districts of Ireland; and that distress, we know perfectly well, is
largely caused by the withdrawal of confidence, which is the basis
of the employment of capital in the country. It is because con-
fidence is shaken in Ireland that the means of employment of the
people is diminished, and the result is that the one cause is
operating upon the other. The distress of Ireland cannot be
cured so long as you have such a feeling of insecurity in regard to
property there. It appears perfectly clear that you cannot, by
simply dealing with the condition of real practical distress, cure
the whole of the evils which we all deplore, and the excesses
which I am sorry to see are rife in that island. Emigration, no
doubt, would go a certain length in remedying the distress in
certain portions of Ireland where the population is greater than
the land would support. Emigration would largely cure it, and I
am glad to believe that emigration to a certain extent will form, and
is forming, part of the efforts made by the Government to restore
something like prosperity to the sister island. But, after all, I think
that theIrish demand for self-government, or, as it is called-though
the term is one I scarcely like to use--Home Rule, is really what
this country will have to consider-whether it is not possible to
give to Ireland such a measure of self-government as will remove
this growing grievance, sentimental if you will, but still not the
less real. Now I believe that very remarkable man who is now
the Premier of this country-I believe that the invitation-for it
amounted to that-which he enunciated at the beginning of last
session to the Irish members to propound what they thought
would be acceptable in the way of self-government for their
country, indicated in Mr. Gladstone's mind the opinion that some
measure had to be taken in that direction-that it was not
possible to allow the present state of things in Ireland to go on.