§ MR. FIRTHasked the First Lord of the Treasury, Whether, in filling up the vacancy in the office of Chief Secretary for Ireland, consideration has been given to the possibility of securing the services of any Irish Member of Parliament familiar with the requirements of Ireland? In regard to this Question I desire to make a personal explanation. I do not put this Question with reference to any Member of this House. I do not yield to anyone in my appreciation of the high personal and public qualities of the Gentleman recently appointed to the Office.
§ MR. T. P. O'CONNORI should like to ask the First Lord of the Treasury whether any Irish Member has raised any question with regard to the nationality of the Chief Secretary; and whether, in his opinion, the nationality of the Chief Secretary makes any difference as long as the present relations between this country and Ireland exist?
MR. GLADSTONEThe opinion of the Government is that when a vacancy occurs in the Chief Secretaryship for Ireland, or in any other political Office in which it is their duty to advise Her Majesty, or to arrive at a decision themselves, their obligation is plain and simple. It is to endeavour to place in that Office the Gentleman who, all things taken together, and all circumstances bearing on the case taken into view, seems to them to be the fittest person for it. They go on much wider grounds than those suggested by the hon. Gentleman, who seems to think that there is some peculiarity in the present connection between England and Ireland, which makes it necessary to have regard to the nationality of the Chief Secretary. They consider that to draw a distinction between Scotchmen, Irishmen, or Englishmen, to the prejudice of one or the other, would be a most unwarrantable assumption on their part, and detrimental to the public interest. My right hon. Friend who has just been appointed Chief Secretary for Ireland, by the favour of Her Majesty, has been chosen on the grounds of his personal merits and qualifications, without the slightest disparagement to the great ability of any other Gentleman who might have been placed in that position. It appeared to me that, in giving that advice, we best discharged our duty. With respect to the choice of Irishmen, I do not think there is anything which gives us greater pleasure than to be able to advise their appointment to great posts. We have recently had the great satisfaction of advising the appointment of Lord Dufferin to one of the highest places which it is in the power of Her Majesty to confer.