discussion Surely it should be treated in a manner worthy of its

should be j^^gnitude, worthy of the dignity of the theme. For my

conducte . ^^^^^ ^ ^jg^^jg^jj^j j^ny imputation of motive, of evil and

unworthy motive, upon those who may happen to disagree with me, and

I claim equal consideration from them. I claim that this matter

■should be treated on its merits, without personal feeling, personal



30

bitterness, and if possible without entering upon questions of
purely party controversy. And I do that, not only for the reason I
have given, but also because if you are going to make a change
in a system which has existed for sixty years, which affects more or less
every man, woman, and child in the kingdom, you can only make that
change successfully if you have behind you not meiely a party support •
if you do not attempt to force it on by a small majority on a large and
unwilling minority ; but if it becomes, as I believe it will become, a
national policy which is consonant with the feeling, the aspiration, and
the interest of an overwhelming proportion of the country.
