On Friday week, also, the English Agricultural Holdings Bill passed
through Committee in the Lords with a few inconsiderable amendments, mischievous in temper rather than important in effect,—amendments calculated to take off all the grace of the measure, if this very mild measure can be considered likely to be credited with any grace by the tenant-farmers even in the shape in which it first went up to the House of Lords. We have discussed the few amendments insisted on by Lord Salisbury elsewhere, and indicated how petty the spirit seems to have been in which they were passed. But we cannot honestly say that even if all of them were agreed to by the Commons,—which they certainly will not be,—they would, if properly dealt with by the administrators of the measure, greatly affect the value of the Bill. It is rather as indicating a wish to press every legal advantage against the tenants,—and therefore as imposing on the valuers a land- lord's bias,—than as weighty amendments in themselves, that the mischief of these petty incisions in the measure consists. On Monday, the Scotch Agricultural Holdings Bill was treated by their Lordships in much the same fashion, the Duke of Argyll being the leading Tory of the day, and displaying what he is said to have himself spoken of as " a cordial reluctance " to accept the spirit of the Bill.
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