How great is the strength of our fighting power, Lord
Hartington showed by summarising the chief objections to Home-rule. To begin with, Home-rule is unnecessary, since " all the privileges of complete equality of government are open to the people of Ireland if they like to accept them." What is good enough for England and Scotland is surely good enough for Ireland. Besides, the Parliament of the United Kingdom could do everything for Ireland which an Irish Par- liament could possibly do. Next, we object to Home-rule because "it would be opposed to the wishes and strongest convictions of a large and important minority." Again, we object to Home-rule because "we feel no confidence in the persons who have up to the present time assumed to represent the voice and opinions of Ireland." The Irish leaders have been closely allied to the enemies of Great Britain. Lastly, we believe that Home-rule "probably would be the means of doing great and unmerited injustice to the great Protestant minority in Ireland, and to the interests of that part of Ireland in which the Protestant community chiefly resides." These are the grounds upon which, up till now, the battle of the Union has been fought and won. But supposing that we were defeated on this line of defence, the ultimate victory of the Union would still be secure in the inherent impossibility of devising any scheme for enacting that, at one and the same time, Ireland shall have an internal independent Govern- ment and remain an integral part of the United Kingdom. The rest of Lord Hartington's address is considered elsewhere. On the whole, it is not a little consoling to think that such a speech could have been spoken to a popular audience in Scotland, and yet have been duly appreciated.
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