Mr. Joseph Cowen has been delivering at Newcastle a - public apology
for Parliamentary obstruction, which he regards as sometimes right, and sometimes wrong,—right, apparently, when the measure opposed is wrong; and wrong, whenever the measure opposed is right. If that be what Mr. Cowen means, it is equivalent to saying that even though the opinion of the majority, constitutionally expressed, is perfectly clear, the minority are justified in attempting to defeat it by bringing a paralysis on all Representative institutions. We maintain that a minority deeply convinced of the injuriousness of any measure it opposes, is justified in a dilatory policy only so long as there is a reasonable chance that by delay and recapitula- tion the minority may become a majority on one or more of the points to which the minority most seriously objects ; but that so soon as all reasonable prospect of such a result dis- appears, obstruction becomes a constitutional crime. Indeed, it may well harden the country in its determination to enforce a policy of which the nation would otherwise speedily repent itself in sackcloth and ashes.
Previous page
