Lord Rosebery, who is, it is said, going to India,
made a speech to the Liberal Club at Newcastle on Tuesday. He de-
dined to mention the three subjects which he held to be im- portant—namely, Ireland, the Eastern Question, and the cur- rener--and confined himself entirely to the position of the party. He-wanted the Unionists, he said, to come back to the Liberal fold. They were only 73, while the Liberals were 196 ; and they, therefore, should make all the concessions. If, however, the Unionists would accept Mr. Gladstone as leader, and the- general lines of his policy towards Ireland, then, for the sake- of " anld lung syne," all should be forgotten and for- given. If they refused this offer, then the Unionists would all be thrown out at the next elections. The Liberals could not "rise so high or sink so low" as to vote for them, and the Tories were already moaning over the thirty-seven seats lost to them through their complaisance to Unionists. Lard Hartington and Mr. Chamberlain will not, we fear, be greatly moved by this appeal. If words mean anything, Mr. Glad- stone is more determined than ever that the Act of Union was corruptly obtained, and is morally without claim to exist; and that Ireland shall receive back as much of her national self-rale as her representatives—not ours, mind—will be content with. It is impossible to accept such terms, even if the electors should signify their wish for their acceptance. As yet, however, they are signifying everywhere content with Unionist action.
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