William Alexander

“ If the Bill were a fair Bill would not the University of Dublin have had members assigned to it? (Hear, hear.) But we find nothing of the kind, and one knows what excuse will be made. I would pledge a great deal if I were a betting man, which I am not— (laughter) —that it will turn upon the one man one vote principle—that splendid principle, so elastic—a thing to make one blush, to think of one man having more than one vote, but not to have the faintest blush to think that
ONE MAN IS TO HAVE 10,000 VOTES IN HIS POWER
(Applause.) ”

“ But great would be his guilt, and terrible and dark will be the shadow of your shame, if it should happen that the great betrayal should be accomplished, and that great betrayal shall be followed by a great fall — the fall of an empire, and the isles will shake with the sound of it. ”

“ The Nonconformists have always had a conscience, which seemed to be peculiarly sensitive upon the question of electoral purity. They are haters of bribes. Should they be accused of being bribed? (Hear, hear.) Reflect for one moment. What is bribery? Bribery is the spirit of simony: it is political simony; it is getting a man to smother conscience for the sake of gain, to keep it conveniently suppressed for days. ”

“ As loyal subjects of the great British Empire, we earnestly protest against its threatened disintegration, and call on our fellow-subjects in England, Scotland, and Wales to join us in resisting a measure that must inevitably and irrevocably effect the dismemberment of the Empire, and the consequent ruin of our position and influence among the nations. ”

“ There are others who say that it is the men of Ulster—and they like to saddle the whole thing upon the men of Ulster, as if there are no Protestants in any other part of Ireland— (hear, hear) —and they have invented that witty saying of Ulsteria. I think that our fellow subjects ought to be learning rapidly that it is nothing of the kind. ”

“ If this Bill come into force, every man in his senses acquainted with Ireland knows that the voluntary churches in this country will be wiped out. Now the greatest argument for voluntaryism is the success of voluntary efforts. (Hear, hear.) It is the only argument, that has ever had the least real weight with me. I am a friend of the established Church, and I confess to a fear that the argument will fail, but it is at least an argument which any honest man can use with pride, and which it takes a wise man to answer. Mr. Gladstone speaks a great deal, (Laughter.) ”

“ Gladstone's warmest adherents up to the last general election. (Hear, hear.) It is the voice of trade—it is the voice of commerce, it is the voice of capital; it is the voice of Chambers of Commerce; it is the voice of our great seat of learning— (applause) — it is the
VOICE OF ALL THAT THINKS AND WORKS.
(Cheers.) I hear a great deal—I have read it in the paperspeople in England have spoken to me about the fanatics of Ulster —the fanatics of Belfast I should say. ”

“ I believe that the opinions of many religious and good men among the Nonconformists of England—I will mention one especially whom I have not the honour of personally knowing, but from whose writings I have derived as much instruction as from almost any other I have ever read—I mean Dr. Clifford, who is against us,—I fully believe that such men as he have been led astray by applying the analogies of English political parties to political parties in this country. ”

“ There will be no history then in the University of Dublin. History is such an inconvenient thing— (laughter) ,—and young men are so curious, and it might bring them into contact with some inconvenient facts, might tell them that there is such a thing as Teutonic Christianity as well as Latin Christianity. ”

“ Gladstone comes to be compared with Pitt's, I feel perfectly sure that the word blackguard will not be used, because even if our language go on increasing at the rate of some thousands of words in the century there will scarcely be a word, but there may be a word to express the character of the conduct which tries to corrupt the virginity of soul of one of the honestest peoples under heaven. ”

“ Finality, indeed, is a word unknown by the majority of the members of the party who force it upon us. As far as we are concerned, there will be no finality. You have only to read the fourth resolution to see that, and as far as our countrymen are concerned, they have taken right good care to tell those whom it concerns beforehand that there shall be no finality with them. ”

“ It is only at all justified by a statesman thinking that he sees an overwhelming reason for it, and I do not argue whether Pitt was or was not justified, though I think it probable that he was. Walpole said in his clay that every man had his price, and I have heard eminent Liberal members say that it was the vilest, most sordid, and most satanic principle that they had ever heard of. ”

“ I suppose that most of you at times have been struck by that subtle principle of association in the human mind which makes the words that convey the same idea produce different effects on the one person. ”

“ Each man was the constant plague of the other. (Laughter.) Each was always in the other's way. They were more helpless than most other people, because they had twice the number of hands. (Hear, hear.) They were slower than other people because they had twice the number of legs. Sympathizing only in evil, not tasting each other's pleasures, not supported by each other's ailments, but tormented by each other's infirmities, and certain to perish by each other's dissolution. ”

“ The Bill is not yet passed, and if it be passed, let any man read the letter which I saw this morning in the Times written by Lord Penzance, and he will see that there are other difficulties yet to be considered. (Hear, hear.) As for those who sneer at the Psalm-singing of Ulster—they are very witty, indeed, in laughing at her piety. A common danger makes men pray in common. ”

“ Gladstone, his party, and his policy comes before you with the biggest bribe in his right hand that ever was offered to the sons of men." If one's indignation did not rise, I think one could hardly help smiling. ”

“ Would you rather be under the ascendency of certain people or under their dominant influence. If human words convey anything this new constitution is the words, "a new ascendency." (Applause.) Mr. Gladstone disestablished our Church. ”