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Lord Malmesbury will not admit that he, by himself, accepted

Lord Cairns' proposal to increase the lodger qualification. In a letter to the Times he says that the Cabinet had previously agreed to accept it, and that Lord Derby acknowledged his responsibility in the final debate. Lord Derby certainly took an odd way of supporting his colleague, but may not the truth be something of this kind? The Cabinet agreed to accept the amendment, if carried, but did not authorize Lord Malmesbury to annul their own compact with the House of Commons in a speech of three lines, and with a visible eagerness of accord.

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