Mr. Gladstone's attack, at Hastings, on the Irish policy of
the Government was a mere repetition of former attacks, Mr. Gladstone always representing the liberty to oppress your neighbour by depriving him of the right to do what the law empowers him to do, as even more sacred than the liberty to do what the law empowers. On the Liberal Unionists he vented more than even his usual indignation, speaking of "that unhappy, unfortunate, ill-starred abortion of a party which is called the party of Liberal Unionists." Whether they are un- happy and unfortunate or not, is surely a question which nobody outside their ranks can determine for them. The Liberal Unionists regard themselves as singularly happy and fortunate, in having been able hitherto to accomplish exactly that which they set themselves to do, neither more nor less. Whether they are ill-starred or not, is a question for astro- logers, and we were not aware that Mr. Gladstone is an astrologer. On. the subject of the deposition of Mr. Parnell, Mr. Gladstone was evidently uneasy in his own mind. He repre- sented it as a right and duty of the party of Home-rule to do whatever makes for the success of the policy of Home-rule. But then, what does he mean by its success ? Its being carried at the polls under conditions which will render it workable in future, or its being carried at the polls under conditions which will render it impracticable in future P Apparently the latter, for he appeared to think that the English people should maintain their right to give Ireland the power of choosing their own Prime Minister, and should simultaneously give England the power of immediately vetoing and removing him,
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