ABSTRACT
William Ewart Gladstone had been in a difficulty ever since 1874 in speaking about Home Rule. Gladstone’s correspondence makes it clear that, though he was in great perplexity, he was guided by three principles of action. In the first place he wanted to educate himself and his chief colleagues on the Irish question. In the second place he wanted in his public speeches to do justice to his strong conviction in favour of a generous Irish policy without saying anything that might invite Irish support. In the third place he wanted to help the Conservative party in any Liberal plans for the Ireland it might have in mind. There was a very serious obstacle to the success of Gladstone’s plan for educating the English mind on the Irish question. In the earlier controversies of 1882 he and Chamberlain had the powerful help of the Spectator.
