28 OCTOBER 1899, Page 3

Mr. Courtney, who followed Mr. Chamberlain, strongly denounced hini for

speaking of President Kruger's crooked diplomacy. He declared that it was not a question of the ulti- matum, nor of the first shot, but as to whether our demands were of such a nature, or such importance, as to justify war. "Upon this issue we shall be judged," added Mr. Courtney. We agree. That is the true issue, but Mr. Courtney seems to forget that President Kruger and President Steyn must be judged on it as well as Mr. Chamberlain and Lord Salisbury. The responsibility cannot rest on one side alone. The only other feature of this part of the debate was the announce- ment of his resignation by Mr. Devitt. Mr. Devitt is ad- mitted on all sides to have been personally an honourable, if irascible, Member of Parliament, but we do not imagine that even on Irish questions his contributions to the work of the House were ever of much practical value,—as, for example,■are those of Mr. Healy and Mr. Arthur O'Connor, who are great Parliamentarians.