Lord Salisbury's speech at the meeting of the Grand Habitation
of the Primrose League held at the Opera House, Covent Garden, on Wednesday, was witty without being very indiscreet. After mentioning that if eight hundred voters in England and Scotland had voted differently than they did in 1892, Mr. Gladstone's majority would have disap- peared—a proof of the smallness of the majorities in forty constituencies—Lord Salisbury predicted another swing of the pendulum. It was said that the House of Lords would throw out the Home-rule Bill. On that the speaker would not venture to prophesy ; but he did venture to say that if they rejected it once, they would reject it a second time if it were sent up to them without a Dissolution. It was proposed that there should be a big and a little House of Commons. Now, if there is trouble in Ulster, the big House of Commons will vote indignantly that troops shall be sent. But the little House of Commons will hold the purse-strings, and it will say "No, thank you," and "not a soldier will.be allowed to go to Ireland on such a mission." In regard to the duties of Second Chambers, Lord Salisbury was very frank. Whether the House of Lords requires reform does not matter, he says. They are for good or ill the "Second Chamber," and they must "perform their duties without reflecting upon the origin of their power." Suppose an officer in time of war believed in competitive examinations. Would he, when he found himself in a post of danger, have a right to say,—" As I did not pass any competitive examination, I do not think I am fit for my post. I will run away"
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