In his speech at the Hotel Metropole on Wednesday, Mr.
Goschen dwelt again on the tendency to develop distinct politi- cal creeds for distinct political dioceses. Professor Stuart had drafted a creed for the Metropolis ; Mr. Stuart Rendel has been developing a creed which he offers to Wales and Scotland, though there is no sign yet that the Scotch have accepted it ; and Mr. Gladstone reserves to himself, while he pleads for, the political creed of Ireland. The effect of all this is that there is no longer a general political leader, and Mr. Gladstone, when he expresses his own strong personal convictions as a statesman on such a matter as the Royal grants, finds himself deserted by a large section of his-nominal followers, and can only carry about thirty-five of them with him into the division-lobby. Such a state of things threatens the Constitution almost more than Mr. Grladstone's special proposals, and makes it even more incumbent on the Conservatives than ever to show their loyalty to those old constitutional principles which, in such a state of things, can alone prevent the Parliamentary institu- tions of the United Kingdom from going to pieces.
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