The Times declares that the substitution of Dr. Lyon Playfair
for Mr. Monsell is intended by the Prime Minister as a significant hint to the Irish Catholics that they need not look for any more attempts to conciliate them of the kind typified by the Irish University Bill of last Session. If this be so, we can only say, first, that it is extremely unfair to throw over a good Postmaster- General, who has given all the support in his power to Mr. Glad- stone's Irish policy, for such a reason as that ; next, that it will not increase the content of Ireland to know that the best Irish Memb„ers are less eligible than before for Imperial duties ; and lastly, that there is something a little ignoble in such an attempt to conciliate the bigoted Orange feel- ing, especially when it takes the form, not of snubs to the priestly arrogance of Cardinal Cullen's party, which would be whole- some, but of slights to old political allies. For our own part, we continue to hope that the appointment of Dr. Lyon Playfair, —an admirable appointment in itself,—has no such meaning. No speech on the Irish University Bill was larger and fairer in its spirit than his,'—a fact to which, though there were points of difference be- tween us, we, who supported that Bill heartily, called marked attention at the time,—and Dr. Playfair gave the Bill ultimately the help of his vote. We hope the Times may be simply painting Mr. Gladstone's policy in the colours most pleasing to its own fancy. But if he has really abandoned the great rule of impar- tiality, that Trojan and Tyrian are to be the same to him so long as their statesmanship and their policy are equally good, his Government has suffered a declension of spirit which nothing can repair.
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