There was a very curious scene in the Commons on
Tuesday. Mr. Gladstone had given notice that he would move that the Lords' reasons and Lords' amendments to the Commons' amendments to the Lords' amendments on the Employers' -Liability Bill be "laid aside." It appeared, however, that
the Speaker ruled out this motion as against the precedents, —this form of motion being justified only when the Lords' amendments had invaded the privileges of the House of Commons, which in this case was ii)t asserted. Under these circumstances, the form of the motion bad to be altered; but none the less, a fighting-speech against the Lords was expected from Mr. Gladstone, and was not made. On the contrary, Mr. Gladstone made as mild and conciliatory a speech as it was, under the circumstances of a final breach with the Lords on the subject of the Contracting-out clause. possible to deliver. The Daily Chronicle characterised it as a speech which took all the heart out of the Radical Party, and vehemently challenged Mr. Gladstone to say whether he would resign a leadership which he found too burdensome, or assail the Lords as his Radical followers wished them to be assailed,—to which challenge, of course, there has been no reply. But it probably represents the views of some sixty or eighty Radicals.
