11 DECEMBER 1886, Page 1

NEWS OF THE WEEK.

THE Liberal Unionist Conference at Willis's Rooms, on

Tuesday, was attended by a great crowd of sagacious and influential politicians. Mr. Bright wrote :—" If I were forced to speak, I should have to say some strong things, and I fear much I might not be of any real servic& - I could say nothing without seeming to attack Mr. Gladstone. This I might even do, if I were sure of doing good ; but I am not sure of this, and I abstain from attacking him from my personal regard for him, which even his present unwisdom cannot greatly diminish." That Mr. Gladstone leaves Mr. Dillon and Mr. O'Brien dis- avowed and unrebuked, was, to Mr. Bright's mind, the worst feature of the situation. A telegram received from Mr. Chamberlain, who evidently has not been informed cf the latest stage of the Irish Question, praised Lord Herschell's Bristol speech, and suggested that if Mr. Gladstone's, or any "equally objectionable" Home-rule scheme were altogether withdrawn, the two sections of the Liberal Party might confer freely together on the limit to which concession to Ireland might be safely carried. To that we may reply that in the present humour of the Parnellite Party, no limit likely to be accepted by them,—and. the Gladstonians at Leeds made it their condi- tion sine qud, non that the Parnellites shall be contented,—could be suggested which Mr. Chamberlain would call "safe," or even otherwise than in the highest degree perilous.