17 JULY 1886, Page 2

Lord Hartington delivered a very forcible speech at Derby on

Monday, in support of the candidature of the Hon. E. K. W. Coke for South Derbyshire,—who did not, however, as we regret to see, carry the day. In this speech Lord Hartington declared that though he would much have preferred, had it been possible, to obtain the victory now won for Unionism without making use of Tory support, yet he cared comparatively little by whose help the victory had been won, so long as it is won. "This is a question which so infinitely transcends all the party differences which now divide us, that party differences ought to be effaced, —and to a very great extent, I am thankful to say that they have been effaced. We still differ from the Conservative Party as to the rate of progress at which we ought to advance ; but all differences such as these fade into insignificance compared with the question whether the greatness, and the prosperity, and the freedom of the country are to remain unimpaired, as they were when handed down to us by our predecessors ; and it would, in my opinion, be as criminal for us to haggle and to argue about our party differences when the enemy was at our gates, as to be engaged in such an occupation when an invasion of our country is imminent." Lord Hartington expressed his grave doubt whether even the Unionists had fully realised how great the danger really was. He avowed his belief that there is some underground or other connection between the Parnellite.Party and the American Fenians; and he held that sooner or later the English people would have to "put their foot down, and to fight this hostile, this illegal conspiracy."