On Monday appeared a letter from Mr. Gladstone to Mr.
Craw- ford, the Member for the City, explaining, or intending to explain, the course he thought it his duty to take for the future on Reform. As an explanation the letter was not successful, as it has been the subject of controversy ever since, which Mr. Gladstone, who has gone to Paris, has not, we suppose, heard. He stated that after the defeat of the 12th of April he could no longer pretend to have the power to mould the Government Bill as he pleased ; that nevertheless, looking to the support he had received from so large a number of Liberals, he should still feel bound to place his services at the disposal of the Liberal party whenever they midt be of use, and that he was even willing to plan "concerted action" on Reform at any future stage, when there seemed any hope of success. But for the present he should withdraw his own amendments, and not substitute any others, but give his individual support to those of any private member with which he agreed. Evidently with a view to Lord Grosvenor's amendment, he significantly added, "I shall gladly accompany others in voting against any attempt, from whatever quarter, to limit yet further the scanty modicum of enfranchise- ment proposed by the Government." We believe Mr. Gladstone had sent word to his Liberal supporters before the last division, that if he failed he could no longer charge himself as leader of Opposition with recasting the Government Bill ; and this is only doing what he had avowed his intention to do. What it practi- cally means is another question, which we have discussed at length elsewhere.
