22 APRIL 1882, Page 1

There was a final demonstration at Lwerpool.yesterday week, when Lord

Salisbnry,'addressing the Junior Conservative Club, recently opened by his eldest son, Lord Cranborne, 'who is president of the club, expressed his belief that times were, coming when the energies of yOung Conservatives would be taxed to a still higher degree than even the energies of the same party during the past and present generation. The issue would have to be plainly faced whether the nation should lioW before', any supernatural authority, or not. It was impossible to con-, ceal, he said, nay, it was a bare matter of fact, that, many as

are the Liberals who have as deep a faith as any Conservative., " those who challenge the supernatural government of the;

world" turn for countenance and support to the Liberals.' Further, he maintained that " the Liberal party is less every day: the party that supports liberty. The tendency of tholight; which thinks only of equality; and has allowed liberty to slip, entirely out of sight, has become one of the recognised pheno-, mena of politics, and what is called ` authoritative democracy ', appears to be the cause which commands the greatest amount of assent from the party of progress." We have criticised tkee statements carefully elsewhere, and need only add. here that, when Lord Salisbury claimed it as the main function of the Conservatives to defend the individual liberties and constitu- tional safeguards which it had once been the proudest privilege, of their opponents to maintain, he really meant that they should- defend the right of the few to paralyse altogether the authority and dignity of the Legislature, only because it was the Legis- lature of the many.