The Speeches (In Full) of the Rt. Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P., and William O'Brien, M.P., on Home Rule, Delivered in Parliament, Feb. 16 and 17, 1888.

In February 1888 the British Parliament became a stage for one of the most animated confrontations over Irish Home Rule. The record captures the full speeches of two leading voices—a seasoned statesman and a fiery Irish MP—as they spar over the scope of self‑government, landlord‑tenant relations, public assembly laws, and the treatment of political prisoners. Their rhetoric is punctuated by cheers, laughter, and sharp rejoinders, giving listeners a vivid sense of Victorian parliamentary drama.

The dialogue reveals the deep divisions within the Liberal Party and the broader empire, as each speaker tries to frame Home Rule as either a necessary reform or a dangerous concession. Listeners will hear appeals to principle, accusations of partisan maneuvering, and vivid illustrations of the social issues at stake. This unedited transcript preserves the cadence and color of the original debate, offering a rare window into the political passions that shaped a pivotal moment in British‑Irish history.