The Life Of Charles Stewart Parnell - Ii

48 riLVULKS STKWAUT PAUXKLL [1885
game, and the irresistible glitter of the prizes. When it suits their own purpose the two Knglish parties will unite it) baffle or to erush the Irish, but neither of them will over scruple to use the Irish in order to baffle or to erush their c»wn rivals. This fancy must be banished to the same limbo as the. similar dream that Ireland could be disfranchised and reduced to the rank of a Crown colony. Three years ago, when Ireland was violently disturbed and the Irish members wore, extremely troublesome, this line project of governing Ireland like India was a favourite consolation even to some Liberals who might have been expected to know bettor. The absurdity of the design and the shallow-neHH of those who were captivated by it were swiftly exposed, A few months after they had been consoling themselves with the idea of taking away the franchise from Ireland they all voted for a measure which extended the franchise^ to several hundreds of thousands of the inhabitants of Ireland who had not possessed it before, and who are, not at all likely to employ their new power in the direction of Crown colonies, or martial law, or any of the other random panaceas of thoughtless, incontinent politicians. As for the new (lovernment, sharp critics and some of the sharpest are to be found on their own benches- do not shrink from declaring that they come into power as Mr. rarnell'H lieutenants. His vote has installed, it can displace them; it has its price, and the price will be paid. la the whole transaction the Irish not only count, they almost count for everything.'
Parnell scored heavily by his first move. He put the Liberals out, and the Tories in ; punished the one party, and made* he other dependent on his will. It was check for Lord Salisbury, and checkmate for Mr. by the Orangemen.'— Hansard. American Land League.