Year: 1869

one way and another half the world of London was
persuaded that the storm had blown over, and that
the Lords had hauled down their flag.


Yet am wholly at loss to account for the general
belief, except on the ground that it is so easy to
believe what one hopes for. Nobody adduces any
real evidence, except that Lord Devon, on Monday
evening, in the Upper House. said he was not going
to vote for the rejection But there is no evidence
that Lord Devon was one of those who said the
trary on Saturday, and unless he was his announce
ment goes for nothing No doubt a few Peers have
changed their minds. or have become more clearly
impressed with the peril of their situation. With
respect to Lord Derby himself, nobody pretends to
say any such thing. ...


On the Monday following, Lord Derby received a
deputation from the National Conservative Unions
To them he reafirmed his resolution in the planest
language. He has not said or hinted in public in
private, that he had changed his mind. On the con-
trary, he continues to restate it, and he is supported
by the overwhelming majority Of those who made
mp the majority of the meeting on Saturday. He
said to the derntation on Monday that he heartily
cOncurred with those who were for rejecting the
bill on a second reading He expressed his convic-
tion that the bill would be defeated by an adequate
majority" and he declared his belief that "in deal
ing with so revolutionary q measure the bOldest was
the safest course TO adopt" That does not sound
much like a recantation. Yesterday there was
breakfast at Wilss given to the Irish deputations.
Many of the very greatest mobiles were present The
Duke of Rutland presided, and declared that the bill
must be defeated. The Earl of Harrowby, who is to
move the rejection next Monday, was not less en-
phatic. That tho Archbishops and other Church
digntares should go for the stoutest resistance is


a matter of course and no more significant now than


at any other time, But it does mean something


when two leading Tory members of the House Of
Commons echo the maddest Outcries of the clergy.
Sir John PakingtOn, who was last Tory War Minis
ter. and Lord John Manners, heir TO the Rut-
land Dnkedom aud Commissioner of Works in the
same Government are still leutenants of Mr. Disra
eli. They both spoke for rejection in the Lords.
Mr., Gathone Hardy is much more important man
than either, or than anybody the Opposition side
in the Commons except Mr.. Dsraeli He goes so far
as to say that he should think nobody would want
to be Peer unless the Peers have courage to defeat
the bill Mr.. Dsrael himself makes no sign in pub
lc but in private is understood to be labOrng with
his hot-headed old chief for more moderate policy
It is not understood that he has had any success yet
as last Prime Minister and present leader of the OPP
position in the House Of Commons. Mr. Disraeli ought
to be able to control the action of his party in the
Lords He is taetician 50 skilled and 50 unscrupu


ous that it is possible enough be may yet succeed in
preventing the crash but know of evidence that
he has succeeded yet. Lord Derby not only carries
the Peers with him; he carries the Tory Press, The
principal organ of the party has heretofore opposed
the policy OF rejection and urged that every effort
should be made to amend instead of refusing to con-
slider the bill. Now it goes pell-moll for rejection,
and administers wholesome discipline to the men
whomit calls observation-disclosures. to Lord Salisbury
and Lord Carnarvon who hold the viewsith heldaweek
ago With a contempt for consistency which even a
New York Democratic journal might envy, it turns
its back all principle for the sake of It's party re-
gretting that when the bulk of the Conservatives
have agreed on anything any Individual Couserva-
tive should presume to have different opinion.


But why should not the Lords reject bill to which
clear majority of them opposed The answer to
chat question would take me farther than go in
this letter. Briefly, the authority of what is still
called the Upper House has become so much reduced
that its power to reject bills passed by the Commons
has ceased TO be final II arnouuts at mosto kind
of suspensory veto. The Lords exercised this power
last year by rejecting the preliminary bill sent mp
10 them from the Commons 70 prepare the way for
That was all right and Consttu-
tional Then Parliament was dissolved general
election was held which turned exclusively on the
question of disestablishment-a question which may
be said TO have been submitted by the Peers 10 the
People What their answer was, all the world knows.
They sent majority of ll5 to the Commons in-
sructed to pass this bill. Now the changes IN the
English Constitution have been so great, that
the Peers not only have not the moral night,
they have not the Constitutional right to
reject bill thus passed in obedience to the distinct
of an undOubted majority Of the people OF
England The English Constitution is like some
parts of the English coast the form Of which is ever
changing Power resided once i'll the Crown, then
IN the Lords now in the Commons. II the Lords re-
sist they will simply be overwhelmed. When Mr.
Gladstone Walked to his seat IN tie House on Mon
day evening the ringing cheers which greeted him
were the answer of the Commons OF England to tho
challenge thrown down by the Tory Lords on Satur-
day There is no shadow of doubt that the Commons
will back their leader in whatever measure he may
adopt to crush the resistance of the Lords if after
all they conclude to resist That if the bill is rejected
Parliament will be speedily prorogued, as speedily
convoked the Irish bill reintroduced pushed silently
through the House. and once more sent up to the
Lords may be taken for granted. 1t will 90 up with
a polite message from Mr.. Gladstone that the Lords


may pass it as they are pass it by the help of
hundred new Peers. or so whom Mr.. Gladstone will,
if needed send along as q convoy for his measure.
OF course, the Lords know il must come to this, If
they hold out and the very hopeessness of their re-
sistance is what lends plausibiity to the assertion
otherwise without eyidencc-that they mean to re-
cede. must postpone to another letter what want
to say about the uteor consequences of the threat
ened collision. G. W. g.


TURKEY.


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