“I will suppose that owing to some cause the Liberal Party was called
upon to deal with this great Constitutional question of the Government of
Ireland in a position where it was only a minority dependent on the Irish
vote for converting it into a majority.
“Now, gentlemen, I tell you seriously and solemnly that although I
believe the Liberal Party itself to be honourable, patriotic, and trustworthy,
in such a position as this it would not be safe for it to enter upon the consideration
of the principle of a measure with respect to which at every step of its
progress it would be in the power of a party coming from Ireland to say:
‘Unless you do this and unless you do that we will turn you out tomorrow...’
“Not only the Liberal Party, but the Empire, will be in danger, because
questions of the gravest moment and of Imperial weight and of vast consequences
may come forward, and there will be no party qualified to deal with
them in that independence of position which alone can secure a satisfactory
and an honourable issue.”
—Mr. Gladstone, speaking at Edinburgh on
November 9, 1885.
