Lord Rosebery made an extraordinary speech on Monday at Spencer
House, St. James's Street, after receiving a deputation from the National Free Church Council. After Dr. Townsend, Dr. Massie, Mr. Perks, M.P., and Dr. Clifford had delivered their messages of protest against the Education Bill, Lord Rosebery replied. He told the deputation that they could expect nothing from the House of Lords,.and then continued :—" The Bill will pass. What you may choose to do is no concern of mine. I am not going to utter my approval beforehand of any methods you may choose to adopt. I am not myself in favour of the refusal of the payment of rates ; but then I am not in your position." So far Lord Rosebery reminds us in his detachment of the Cat that Walked by Himself in Mr. Kipling's new story-book. But encouraged by the applause of his hearers, he went on; "I confess that if the Nonconformists of England submit tamely to the enactments of this Bill, I will not say that they would be weakened religiously; but I will say this,—that in my judgment politically they will have ceased to exist." Lord Rosebery, went on to predict, as a result of the country's sub- mission to the Bill, "a great political deterioration through- out the nation at large." To judge from this speech, that political deterioration has already declared itself in Lord Rosebery. No utterance of his has done more to discredit his reputation for statesmanship and sagacity.
Previous page
