Next to Mr. Gladstone and Lord Hartington the most important member of the Liberal party at that time was undoubtedly Mr. Chamberlain, and Mr. Chamberlain’s Irish policy was proclaimed in the Radical Programme, which was published before the General Election as the Radical leader’s manifesto to the constituencies.  This scheme, which Mr. Chamberlain had submitted as a responsible minister to the Cabinet of Mr. Gladstone in June, 1885, culminated in a National Council which was to control a series of local bodies and govern the whole of Ireland.  “His National Council was to consist of two orders; one-third of its members were to be elected by the owners of property, and two-thirds by ratepayers.  The National Council also was to be a single one, and Ulster was not to have a separate Council.  As the Council was to be charged with the supervision and legislation about education, which is the burning question between Catholics and Protestants, it is clear that Mr. Chamberlain at that time contemplated no special protection for Ulster."[15] Moreover, in a letter dated April 23rd, 1886, and published in the Daily News_ of May 17th, 1886, Mr. Chamberlain declared that he “had not changed his opinion in the least” since his first public declaration on Irish policy in 1874.  “I then said that I was in favour of the principles of Home Rule, as defined by Mr. Butt, but that I would do nothing which would weaken in any way Imperial unity, and that I did not agree with all the details of his plan....  Mr. Butt’s proposals were in the nature of a federal scheme, and differ entirely from Mr. Gladstone’s, which are on the lines of Colonial independence.  Mr. Butt did not propose to give up Irish representation at Westminster.”  It is true that Mr. Butt did not propose to give up Irish representation at Westminster; but it is also true that he proposed to give it up in the sense in which Mr. Chamberlain wishes to retain it.  Mr. Butt’s words, in the debate to which Mr. Chamberlain refers, are, “that the House should meet without Irish members for the discussion of English and Scotch business; and when there was any question affecting the Empire at large, Irish members might be summoned to attend.  He saw no difficulty in the matter."[16]

There is no need to quote Mr. Gladstone’s declarations on the Irish question at the General Election of 1885, and previously.  He has been accused of springing a surprise on the country when he proposed Home Rule in the beginning of 1886.  That is not, at all events, the opinion of Lord Hartington.  In a speech delivered at the Eighty Club in March, 1886, his Lordship, with his usual manly candour, declared as follows:  “I am not going to say one word of complaint or charge against Mr. Gladstone for the attitude which he has taken on this question.  I think no one who has read or heard, during a long series of years, the declarations of Mr. Gladstone on the question of self-government for Ireland, can