19 MARCH 1881, Page 1

In the moral sense, however, it was gained, for at

the instance of Sir Stafford Northcote, who was by no means anxious to have the responsibility on his shoulders of preventing Parlia- ment from taking the Supply Votes within the legal time, the Irish Irreconcilables proved not merely Reconcilable, but clay in the hands of the Tory potter. Both on Monday and Tues- day, they gave up the right not merely to obstruct, but to speak where they had every title to speak., with a meekness almost saintly ; and when Mr. Parnell took to thanking Mr. Forster for the courtesy of his promise to inquire into some irregularity in relation to the imposing of extra Constabulary rates on Irish counties, there was a subdued expectation that he was about to fall on Mr. Forster's neck to promise repentance and entreat forgiveness. However, this was spared us. But Sir Stafford Northcote's eloquence,—or something else,—has cer- tainly softened the flinty patriotism of Mr. Parnell and Mr. O'Donnell, and the House of Commons is the gainer, so long as the alliance with the Tories lasts.