▁it ▁remain ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Empire . ▁Being ▁a ▁mod est ▁measure , ▁Glad stone ▁hoped ▁that ▁Sal is bury ▁might ▁feel ▁honour - bound ▁to ▁allow ▁his ▁MP s ▁to ▁vote ▁for ▁and ▁against ▁the ▁policy , ▁thereby ▁splitting ▁the ▁Conserv atives . ▁ ▁Re actions ▁Once ▁news ▁of ▁Glad stone ' s ▁conversion ▁came ▁to ▁light ▁following ▁the ▁Ha ward en ▁K ite , ▁Liber als ▁and ▁Irish ▁National ist ▁MP s ▁voted ▁together ▁to ▁end ▁Lord ▁Sal is bury ' s ▁care t aker ▁administration . ▁This ▁led ▁Sal is bury ▁to ▁believe ▁Glad stone ▁was ▁playing ▁games ▁with ▁him ▁and ▁he ▁remained ▁opposed ▁to ▁Irish ▁home ▁rule . ▁ ▁Sal is bury ▁had ▁commented ▁on ▁ 9 ▁November : ▁" The ▁integrity ▁of ▁the ▁Empire ▁is ▁more ▁pre cious ▁to ▁us ▁than ▁any ▁possession ▁we ▁can ▁have . ▁We ▁are ▁bound ▁by ▁mot ives , ▁not ▁only ▁of ▁exped iency , ▁not ▁only ▁of ▁legal ▁principle , ▁but ▁by ▁mot ives ▁of ▁honour , ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁minor ity ." ▁ ▁That ▁minor ity ▁in ▁Ireland ▁formed ▁the ▁Irish ▁Union ist ▁Alliance ▁and ▁the ▁loyal ist ▁Orange ▁Order ▁increased ▁its ▁numbers ▁marked ly . ▁ ▁Glad stone ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 5 ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁general ▁election , ▁but ▁when ▁he ▁proposed ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁Ireland ▁Bill ▁later ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 6 , ▁ 9 3 ▁Liberal ▁MP s ▁voted ▁against , ▁causing ▁the ▁ 1 8 8 6 ▁United ▁Kingdom ▁general ▁election . ▁The ▁Liber