Yesterday week, a crowded meeting was held in the Guildhall
to protest against the contemplated dissolution of the Union with Ireland. Sir John Lubbock, who made a very temperate and excellent speech, moved the first resolution,—" That this meeting, representing the merchants, bankers, and traders of London, is of opinion that the establishment of a separate legislative body in Dublin will be highly injurious to the interests of both Great Britain and Ireland." He described his own political attitude as that of a warm and loyal supporter of the Government, though strongly opposed to this particular line of policy. He also expressed the warmest sympathy with Ireland, but he held that the new policy would drive capital out of the country, lower the rate of wages, and in every way injure gravely the condition of the Irish poor. Far from seeing any chance of conciliation in Home-rule, he held that it would lead to very angry quarrels on all sorts of subjects, from fiscal questions to questions affecting the position of the minority ; and Sir John Lubbock believed that it would be impossible to control the Frankenstein we should have ourselves created, except by the use of physical force. The resolution was seconded by Sir R. N. Fowler, and carried, with only sixty or seventy dissen- tients in a very crowded hall.
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