The Irish Home Rule leaders as a body cannot inspire trust, for the simple reason that their whole policy and conduct prove them untrustworthy.

Politicians, strange as the fact may appear to them, cannot get quit of their past.
Look for a moment at the history--the patent, acknowledged history--of the agitators or the patriots (and I doubt not that many of them are, from their own point of view, patriotic) in whom we are asked to confide, and whose assurances are to form the basis on which to rest a dubious policy.

They have been till recently the foes of England.

This in itself is not much; many a rebel has been the enemy of England, and yet has been entitled to the respect of Englishmen.

But there are deeds which neither hatred to England nor love of Ireland can justify.