§ SIR GEORGE CAMPBELLasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether Her Majesty's Government will consider the possibility of giving to the remnant of the Celtic population of Scotland the same legal recognition of their ancient rights in the land which has been so liberally granted to the Irish?
§ MR. DALRYMPLEasked the right hon. Gentleman, before answering the Question, if he was aware that one of the most important points in dispute between the Skye crofters and one of the largest landed proprietors in Skye had just been settled by friendly arrangement; and, whether he did not think that such an arrangement so made was better than vague suggestions about ancient rights, or any interference by Parliament?
MR. GLADSTONEThe intelligence to which the hon. Member opposite has referred has not reached me; but I receive it with great satisfaction. I was about to have answered my hon. Friend that the relative rights of parties were so far in course of progress towards being fixed that the first step had been taken on the part of the landlords for the purpose of having them fixed; and that I did not think that a period like that, when difficulty attended that step and the actual execution of the law, was the time for raising any question of the nature of the Question; but I receive with great satisfaction what has been stated by the hon. Gentleman.
§ MR. MACFARLANEinquired whether the right hon. Gentleman would consider that, as the principal point in dispute between landlord and tenant had been removed, there was no longer any necessity for an inquiry?
MR. GLADSTONEWith the greatest possible respect to the hon. Member, and to the hon. Gentleman opposite, I think I may say the House will feel that I must wait for some further and more definite statement on the subject before I undertake to answer anything of the nature of the Question put to me just now.