We cannot leave Lord Lansdowne's speech without quoting his admirable
chaff of Lord Lincolnshire's "pompous, futile, and pretentious" declaration—to borrow a phrase from the Chancellor of the Exchequer—made lately to a newspaper. He has, he stated, a covenant in every farm agreement under which the tenant is formally given permission to vote as he likes and to pray where he likes. Lord Lansdowne made the following comment on this preposterous piece of self-righteous bad manners—a comment which will be endorsed by everyone who knows anything about the subject. If you were to attempt to tell the ordinary farmer that he might vote as he liked and pray where he liked, he would reply : "As -to voting how I like, the ballot gives me the necessary protection, and I intend to avail myself of it. If you take upon yourself to tell me that I may pray where I like, thank you for nothing, and damn your impertinence !"
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