Gladstone, Parnell And Home Rule Flashcards
How successful was Parnell in making the Irish Parliamentary Party a signficant force? Explore the formation of the National League
Creation of National League in Oct 1882 - Unlike Land League - essentially a political organisation aimed for national self government and intended to win support among all classes of society National Leagues central organisation was dominated by Parnell - League in effect the electoral arm of Irish Parliamentary Party. Possessed over 1000 branches in Ireland and Leagues electoral role was helped by passage of 3rd Reform Act of 1884. By granting vote to rural householders within UK, Act enabled Parnellites to dominate county vote throughout Ireland. Increasing indentificiation of IPP and cause of Irish nationalism reflected - after years of mutual suspicion, unoficla alliance between Irish Church and Parnell. Parnell now imposed greater discipline/centralisation, task somewhat easier by increasingly homogeneous middle class character of party membership compared with days of Butt. Parliamentary candidates now chosen in practice by Party leader - required to sign pledge act/vote only with IPP Parnell dominated Irish Party. Personal traits of pride, coldness, arrogance hardened over years and now viewed by followers with awe, respect, akin almost to fear. Chiefs personal faults, by 1885 his efforts on behalf of IPP and national cuase seemed successful. Courted by both Liberals and Cosnervatives since both groups recognised Irish Party might hold balance of power in Commons Chamberlain anxious to ensure a Liberal government, proposed Central Board scheme, giving wide ranging powers of internal control - conceived as alternative to Home Rule but on terms it ahd no possible chance of being accepted by Parnell Parnell drew nearer to Tories, hoping to get more from Conservative government, Irish Party swithed votes to Conservative and result of numerous Liberal abstentions - reflection of growing divisions in party Gladstone out voted and resigned. Lord Salisbury formned conservative caretacker government until results of election known. Government dropped coercion and passed Ashbourne Act - real effective land purchase scheme provided 100% state loan to tenants at low interest rate. Parnell stood with Tories and urged UK to vote Conservative IPP won 86 seats and Liberals won 335 while Tories won 249. But poltiical situation highly confused when parliament reassembled in Dec 1885
Why did Gladstone take up cause of Home Rule? Look at the First Home Rule Bill 1886
Gladstone felt Home Rule only solution - programme of religious/agrarian reform failed to reconcile Irish to continuance of English rule and further reform bound to be unsuccessful
Convied reality of Irish nationalism - then on moral grounds could he oppose what majority wanted?
Gladstone believed he had singled out by providence to lead great moral crusde - During run up to election of Nov 1885 kept quiet about Home Rule
If he spoke publicly in favour, break up the Liberal Party, addition he could be accused of counter bidding for Irish vote. JL Hammond argued in his sympathetic study of Gladstone Irish Policy, Liberal leader believed in achieving non party approach to response
Conservatives in power in June 1885 as result of Parnell convictions that he could get more from them than Liberals and Gladstone realised enermous advantage of Home Rule by Lord Salisbury
Outcome of election disappointing for Gladstone as failed to provide either English parties with real majority indepdent of Irish members.
What was proposed in Gladstones Third Ministry with the first Home Rule Bill?
It was clear Lord Salisbury wouldnt support Home RUle so Ieish supported Liberal resolution on land reform and Conservatives defeated. Liberal Party abstained some and clearly disintegrating. Gladstone now PM for 3rd time. Gladstone proceeded with Home Rule bill - hoped to have time to educate electorate and party but potential revolutionary situation in Ireland brooked no delay
Home Rule presented to Cabinet in March 1886, consisted of 2 closely related Bills aimed to solve political and social problems in Ireland
First Bill: proposed establishment of bi cameral Irish legislature consisting of 2 Orders which sit and vote together.
First order - sort of Upper House weighted in favour of property and contain no of Irish peers
Second Order - entirely of MPs elected in ordinary way
Irish legislature have right to deal with all affairs except those defined as belonging to Imperial government - defence, foreign policy, intern. Trade, customs andd excise, the Irish police - contribute 1/15 to Imperial Treasury but recived back her share of customs revenue and income tax. Irish MPs excluded from Westminster.
Second Bill: consisted of land purchase scheme by which UK treasury would buy out landlords at cost of £50 million. Gladstone believed essential in order to prevent new Irish legislature being burdened at outset with problems of Irish land system - hope lead to former landlord class reasserting influence in social/political affairs
PM presented bill to commons in 1886 and Land Purchase BIll abanonded when it was unpopular.
Why did the First Home Rule Bill fail? Look at the reactions to the bill?
Bulk of Liberal Party supported Gladstone - out of loyalty and see no alternative to Home RUle but coercion and no longer had stomach for that
Parnell had doubts about some of the details but believed financial provisions unfair but supported the Bill
Bill attacked by Conservatives and by leading Liberals - crude anti-Irish feeling and many points made against were reasoned and cogent
First argued Irish self government lead to complete separation and break up UK. Critics questioned members of future Irish legislature could be trusted to protect lives and properties of all Irishmen like Protestants and argued IRish nationality and unity couldnt exist when all classes in Protestant Ulster violentyl against Home Rule
When vote when for Second Reading it was defeated by 313 votes to 343
Parliament dissdolved and squared up for second election. Conservatives united on anti Irish sentiments and worked to produce Unionist victory by making Liberal Unionists unopposed by Tory candidate. Liberal Party split down middle and lost able leaders except Gladstone - desperately weak position.
Outcome of election resounding victory for Unionists - 394 seats with Conservatives at 316 and Liberal Unionists at 78 - Gladstone liberals to 191 MPs and Irish Party at 85 MPs
What led to the fall of Parnell? Explore Parnellism/Crime, OShea divorce,
IPP still dominated Ireland outside Ulster and Parnell remained determined to stick to constitutional path insecuring Home Rule. Parnell refused to support phase of agrarian agitation known as Plan of Campaigning which aimed at reducing rents further by collective action by tenants.
But Times published series of articles Parnellism and Crime accusing leader of complicity in violence in Ireland and approval of Phoenix Park Murders. 1889 however, judicial investigiation revealed articles based on forged letters. In DEc 1889, Gladstone invited him to Hawarden Castle yet within a year Parnells reputation and political career in ruins
Captain O Shea filed for divorce, citing Parnell as co-respondent on grounds of adultery with KAtherine O Shea. Case in court in Nov 1890 - Parnell offered no fence and O SHea granted divorce. IPP stood by leader but Gladstone under pressure from nonconformists in Liberal Party who refused to accept alliance with parnell who was confessed adulterer. Gladstone had to repudiate Parnell as leader if alliance and therefore cause of Home RUle was to be maintained.
Parnell furious by published letter - refused to resign leadership but in manifesto to Irish people attacked Gladstone personally denounced Liberal alliance and re affirmed independence of Irish Party. Irish Nationalist MPs faced with dilemna, stood by Parnell lose Liberal support or choose Parnell. Anti parnellites triumphed in by elections and he died in 1891 in Brighton with wife Kitty at 45
What were Parnells achievements?
Home Rule? Uniting Party?
1) Turned question of Home Rule into practical politics - belief must be worked for and could be achieved constitutionally through UK parliament. Parnell able to convince majority of Irish people that HR was feasible solution to problems of Irish government. His win in 1885 election helped clinch Gladstone conversion. Parnell made passage of First HR Bill in COmmons realistic possibility even though in end the unexpected revolt of Liberal confounded both
2) Creation of united disciplined IPP backed up by electoral machine in Ireland. Parnell an ideal party leader - touchiness, aloofness, evident contempt for many of colleagues, frequent absencnes from business to stay with O Shea help account for reaction against him. IPP after his death was leaderless and divided and shadow of its former self - failure of 2nd Bill and domination of Unionists - party alive and reunited under Redmond
How was Gladstone able to introduce a second home rule bill? Why was it rejected?
Gladstone firmed committed to HOme RUle as major obejctive - Liberal Party felt had no alternative but follow where he led. In 1892 election - Liberals made considerable recovery and gained 80 seats. But 8 Irish Nationalists elected and majority of whom anti Parnellites and supported Gladstone to form his 4th ministry
Financial provisions more favourable to Irish, also agreed 80 MPs retained at Westminster where allowed to debate/vote on subjects. This time Gladstone didconsider the problem of Ulster. Second Bill introduced by Gladstone in Commons in 1893 and debate followed. End Bill was passed on second reading and Gladstone murmured perceptively. But rejected overwhelmingly by the Lords. Lords implicitly justified actions by pointing to lack of English majority in favour of HR and Home Rulers in Commons in minority. Gladstone carried on as PM at odds with cabinet and resigned in 1894 - dying 4 years later
Why did the Second Home Rule BIll favour to pass?
There was great deal of anti Irish/anti Catholic sentmiment among English electors and oppostition o his policy within Liberals than expected. By early 1880s, Whigs worried about implications of Irish land policy for right of property generally and number already abandoned Liberal Party. Radicals like Chamberlain, HR seemed antithesis of their commitment to strong, progressive government.
IT was virtually certain HR bill destroyed by Lords. Continued with circumstances even devoted Gladstonians sheer pervesity.
Complexity of financial provisions of the bill, difficulties involved in divison of pwoers between Irish and Imperial parliaments, persistence of extremist forms of nationalism, opposition of Protestant Ulster to rule from Dublin - commitment to Home RUle remained integral part of Liberal programme.
