The Government sustained its first serious defeat on Friday week.
Mr. R. Smyth moved a resolution in favour of an Act for- the total prohibition of the sale of liquor in Ireland on Sunday, and carried it by 224 to 167. The arguments, pro and con, on the merits, were of the usual kind, but the supporters of the motian relied upon the fact that an immense majority of the people of Ireland are in favour of the restriction, and that it is one of those measures on which sectional opinion may fairly rule, especially as it has been allowed so to rule in Scotland. As the restriction is not to be effected by annual vote, after the Permissive-Bill fashion, and is to cover the whole island, and not to be repealed without Parlia- mentary authority, we see no more objection to a separate Liquor- Bill for Ireland than to a separate tenure. The first argument of the anti-Federalists is that the United Parliament does not dis- regard Irish opinion, when tolerably unanimous and not injurious to Imperial interests. The Empire is not hurt if Irishmen like to keep sober for one particular day in the week. The Government,. however, is of a different opinion, and on Thursday Sir S. Northcote informed Mr. Smyth that no Bill would be brought in this Session to give effect to his resolution. We shall hear more of this.
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