1 FEBRUARY 1957, Page 16

TO ettator

FEBRUARY 4, 1832

ON Thursday, the House of Commons ex- hibited one of those scenes of impotent bluster and safe menace that have long been banished from every other assembly where gentlemen congregate. We thought that the race of Fight- ing Fitzgcralds had died out; but it seems to have again become incarnate in the shape of the Duke of WELLINGTON'S man. Sir HENRY HARDINGE on Thursday charged Lord EBRING- TON as an organ of the "Sections of London"; and on Lord EBRINGTON'S denial of the ridicu- lous accusation, proceeded to—challenge him to single combat! The Tories applauded this bravado, and the Speaker did not condemn it. . . . The House has not much character to lose, or we should be more anxious on its account. A large proportion of its members have long been ridiculous to the public; they only complete their character when they render themselves ridiculous to each other.