On Thursday night; the Liberals set themselves to bait Mr.
W. H. Smith on the subject of the "Allegations Bill," the apparent intention being to do all in their power to discredit the Bill while affecting to accept it. The chief point of the baiting is the supposed connection between the Attorney- General as counsel for the Times, and the Attorney-General as legal adviser of the Government. As a matter of fact, Mr. Smith repeatedly and indignantly denied that the Govern- ment furnished the Times with any sort of help. If Mr. Gladstone returned to power, and Mr. Parnell brought the action which he is supposed to be eager to bring so soon as the temper of the English people appears likely to admit of a fair jury, we suppose that Sir Charles Russell would not scruple to take a brief for him, even though he were also Mr. Glad- stone's Attorney-General; and certainly, if he did, no one on the Unionist side of the House would think of characterising that course as scandalous. The cue appears to be to discredit as much as possible the proposed Bill without openly resisting it.
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