Politics & government > Political speeches in Scotland in 1890

IN THE CORN EXCHANGE, EDINBURGH. 19
I say that the Government itself is the great master and the most
perfect pattern of law-breaking in Ireland. I have spoken of their
wantonness and insolence through their subordinates, who, after all,
take their tone from them, and to whom, in my opinion, a very small
portion of the blame belongs. I have referred to that insolence and
that provocative course of conduct which makes obedience to the law
nearly impossible. How, I come to the question whether the Govern-
“ ment itself is to blame. Gentlemen, I must go back, and go back a
| good way, because it is the greatest instance we have upon record, but
I must once more mention to you that old name of Mitchelstown. It
is now four years and a half ago, and again and again it has been
I made the subject of public comment and public reproof, and Mr.
Balfour—well, well—on an occasion not very long ago, referred
[ sarcastically to me, perhaps because I had gone back upon this
subject of Mitchelstown, and he used this illustration. He said—
‘Mr. Gladstone goes back to the subject of Mitchelstown—it is a
: great favourite with him—and he reminds me,’ ho said, ‘ of the case
of a play or a farce which is on the playbills that are issued, and it is
announced that “ the play is going to be acted for the 161st or 162nd
time.’” Very well, gentlemen, I accept that simile, and when you
see a playbill stating that a play is about to be acted for the
161st or the 162nd time, what does it mean? It means that
I that play has taken hold of the public mind. It means that
I the public have looked at it again and again, and have found
I in it pith and substance, and therefore it is that it is repeated
I almost innumerable times.
| Yes, gentlemen, that is the case of Mitchelstown, and in no
1 period of history, civilised or uncivilised, has there been more
lj; gross, palpable, thorough illegality committed by a Government
^ and its agents in the face of day, and what is infinitely more
p important, defended in Parliament in the face of day, and sup-
K ported, which is most important of all, by the majority of tbo
It House of Commons, than in that deplorable case of Mitchels-
town. Most briefly and succinctly I recapitulate the facts. Three
I or four thousand men are gathered densely packed together in a law-
!' ful meeting. The Government desires—and so far I do not find
fault with them—the Government desires to send a shorthand re¬
porter to the meeting. Instead of sending that reporter round to the
i platform, they organise a wedge of constables, or a body of constables,
I think about twenty in number—but that is not very material—
\ and desire them to charge right into the middle of the crowd, on
: the pretence of carrying the shorthand writer through the heart of
the meeting to the platform. Is not that the conduct of men who
. want to provoke a disturbance 1 However, they found the density