Mr. Courtney on Wednesday made two fine speeches in Liskeard.
We have said enough elsewhere of their general object, which was to insist on Unionists doing their duty un- dismayed; but we may add here that Mr. Courtney was espe- cially strong against the darkening of counsel with fine phrases. Men believed, he said, that the theoretic supremacy of Parlia- ment would be perfect; but Parliament had a theoretic supremacy over New Zealand, yet refused to remedy an injustice there, because the Local Government, being elective, must be held to have acted rightly. He might have added that in Ireland, interference by the Central Parliament would be nugatory unless backed by the march of troops. The speeches were received with a noteworthy enthusiasm. It is, we believe, as a mere matter of tactics, far safer for a Member to speak out frankly to an English constituency, than to shilly-shally in the hope of gaining suffrages. The Unionist who is perpetually thinking about his seat just now will lose it, if only because the Conservatives will distrust him, and the Liberals remain an- conciliated. Mr. Courtney sits as much because he has the courage of his opinions, as because his opinions are welcome to his constituency.
