
1886 - First Home Rule Bill It was at the end of January 1886, that the Salisbury ministry resigned. On February 1, 1886, William Gladstone, the "Grand Old Man" of British politics, began his third premiership determined to complete a twenty-year effort to pacify Ireland. Although the introduction of his Irish Home Rule bill was still several months away, some constituencies in Ireland and Britain were already feverish with excitement or fear over the prospects of Irish self-government. Foremost among the latter group were Ulster Protestants. An astute assessor of political opportunity, Lord Randolph Churchill had previously decided, "If the GOM went for Home Rule, the Orange card would be the one to play." Churchill would begin the process of playing that card with a much-publicized trip to Belfast on February 22-23, 1886. Prominent loyalists had organized Churchill's visit, which featured numerous addresses from Orange lodges and noisy public affirmations of U...