Lord Fortescue is one of that- class of almost osten-
tatiously sensible men who have the knack of acting in a way to show radical want of sense. Just at present he is most anxious to facilitate Coercion in Ireland, by giving the House of Lords the privilege of being godfathers to the Coercion Bill, and be appeals to the Westmeath Act of 1871 as his precedent for so doing. But in 1871 there was no organised resistance in either House to the Bill for putting down Ribbouism, while at the present moment the Irish party make coercion the centre of their most bitter opposition. What could be more foolish than to introduce a Coercion Bill into a House eager for coercion, and then send it down to that House where it will have to pass all the really stringent criticism to which it will be subjected ? Does Lord Fortescue really wish to claim for the House of Lords the credit of being more eager for coercion than the representatives of the people P How will that act on the Irish feeling towards the House of Lords ?
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