The House of Commons reassembled on Monday, and Lord Hartington
at once asked for information as to the progress of negotiations, and whether Congress would or would not be assembled. Sir Stafford Northcote in reply told him that "active negotiations " were in progress, but that it would not be for the public service to hold any general discussion upon them at this moment, and since then the subject has not been so much as mentioned. The Government moves on its course as undisturbed as if Parliament did not exist, and any manifestation of opinion against war is treated as an indecorum. Manifestations in its favour such as that of Sir John Holker, who stated on Saturday that we ought to have declared war when Russia crossed the Pruth, are of course allowable ; but neither the people who are to pay for war, nor even their leaders, like Mr. Gladstone, are to say a free word against it. We do not object to the reticence of Parliament, which, in fact, after the Chancellor of the Exchequer's declara- tion, has no option, but we do object to the unfairness with which the two sides are treated by a section of opinion. Her Majesty's Ministers stump the country for war, and no resentment is shown, while if Mr. Gladstone says a word for peace, he is called a mis- chievous firebrand.
