On Monday Sir William Harcourt's ambiguous answer as to Scotch
business, and especially as to the Crofters' Bill, brought on a little one-act melodrama, in which Dr. Mac- Gregor, the Crofters' representative for Inverness-shire, took leave of the House and the Speaker with the most effusive Highland ceremoniousness, and retired to apply for the stewardship of the Manor of Northstead, which, like the Chiltern Hundreds, is regarded as a post of profit under the Crown, the conferring of which vacates a seat. As Sir William Harcourt gave no promise that the Crofters' Bill should be referred to the Standing Committee on Scotch measures, Dr. MacGregor shook the dust off his feet, and declaring in the most solemn accents that Sir William's statement "is not good enough for me," departed to take the requisite measure for the embarrassing of the Government by resigning his seat. As his majority over the so-called Liberal Unionist candidate (Mr. C. F. Mackintosh) at the General Election was only 329 on a total poll of 5,741, there is sup- posed to be a chance that the Unionists may gain the seat which Dr. MacGregor has so loftily resigned. It is not probable, however, that any Liberal Unionist can carry Inver- ness-shire who is not also a thoroughgoing Crofters' man. As the Government majority in the Commons fell to 9, and eventually to 5, on the same night, Dr. MacGregor's desertion was as keenly felt as it was magnificently announced.
