Nevertheless, Sir Stafford Northcote, in moving on Monday the rejection
of the first resolution—after Lord John Manners's wonderful proposal for taking the vote for the closure of debate by ballot had been rejected—was careful to indicate something of the nature of respect for Lord Randolph's suggestion, by remarking that if the first reso- lution should pass without modification, the disposition of the Opposition to acquiesce even in those Resolutions of which they would otherwise have approved, must be greatly dim- inished. That means, we suppose, that a policy of obstruction might be pursued, if the first resolution passed in its present shape. Further, Sir Stafford Northcote solemnly repeated all the well-worn assertions that the impartiality of the Speaker would soon disappear, that the only purpose of these resolutions was to advance party measures, and so forth ; to which Sir William Harcourt replied that such auguries were "the fears of the brave, and the follies of the wise."
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