The demonstration at Chatsworth last week was a striking one.
Fifteen thousand persons, at least, who had not been tempted by any special announcements or promises of a treat, assembled to hear Lord Hartington, Sir William Harcourt, and Mr. Mundella on the crisis, and showed not only enthusiasm but perfect unanimity in cheering the speakers. Of course, there was nothing new to say,—all that could be said has been said a thousand times ; but neither Lord Hartington nor Sir William Harcourt failed to give the clearest possible intimation that if the House of Lords persisted in its resolve to throw out the Franchise Bill a second time, the Ministers would be equal to the occasion. "The resources of the Constitution," said Lord Hartington, "are not exhausted, and it is my conviction that, however near we may be to a political deadlock, that deadlock will he avoided." "We have conceded everything that reason could demand," said Sir William Harcourt. "We will not sur- render the vital principles of the Constitut;on. We will not place the authority of the House of Commons under the feet of the House of Lords." That is the tone which the English people will understand. It needs now no eloquent speeches to persuade them which party is in the right. It needs a firm attitude in our leaders ; and the Peers, if they continue to resist, will resist only that they may turn a defeat into a -catastrophe.
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