Sir Michael Hicks-Beach made a speech to his constituents at
Winchcombe on Wednesday, which, though moderate in phrase, contained some very decided opinions. He admitted that the Irish Land Act was deemed essential by men of more than one political shade, but thought that it had been an en- couragement to agitation ; and that a similar agitation, sup- ported by similar means, would spread to this country. He doubted, therefore, whether it would not be better to suppress the Land League, and hinted not obscurely at the arrest of all its principal leaders. He was of opinion that obstruction should be met not by limiting the freedom of minorities, but by " re- pressing " those individuals who are guilty of efforts to stop the business of the House of Commons, or reduce debate to a vulgar brawl, and though he did not indicate his means of "repression," he evidently intended expulsion. Recurring to England, Sir Michael deplored the position of agriculture, and trusted that Parliament would next Session devise remedial measures. He ridiculed the notion of turning England into a huge market-garden or large poultry-yard, but gave up Protec- tion as impracticable, and looked instead to a relief from those burdens of taxation which press especially upon land. The speech, from Sir Michael Hicks-Beach's point of view, was not without statesmanship, but its radical defect is only too clean He advises a return to the policy of governing Ireland. by sheer force, which has failed for so many centuries.
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