18 DECEMBER 1909, Page 3

Amongst other speeches delivered by Unionists during the week, we

may note those of Mr. Lyttelton and Mr. Walter Long. Mr. Lyttelton, speaking at Slough on Monday, dwelt on the studied refusal of the present Government to countenance the efforts which the Peers themselves had made to reform their own Chamber. What they wanted was to hold in check and imprison in a powerless Chamber many of the best Conservatives, the ablest and most powerful forces of the country. Mr. Long, speaking at Pem- broke on Tuesday, dealt mainly with Mr. Asquith's declaration in favour of Home-rule. If we were going to be plunged into a struggle on this question, what became of the social pro- gramme outlined by the Prime Minister? Mr. Asquith had said there was no question of separation. But their own past experience bad taught them that they would be blind indeed if they did not realise that separation was the aim of the Nationalists. "They had heard of the opossum which came down rather than that the man should shoot. The Govern- ment came down in a similar manner to the Irish Nationalists."