2 MAY 1868, Page 2

Certainly the most fantastic speech of the debate was made

on Tuesday night by Lord Royston, M.P. for Cambridgeshire, eldest son of the Earl of Hardwicke,—the same man who, in conjunction with his noble father, made so hopeless an effort the other day to rouse Conservative enthusiasm in Cambridgeshire, and scolded those who did attend, so severely, for not being opulent and influential men. Lord Royston on Tuesday night became confidential. The Irish Church was considered a gross anomaly by all who looked at the matter without party bias, but it was not fair to press the question on a Government in a minority. It was a gross piece of ingratitude, considering last year's work. The very fact "of the English Church in Ireland being in a minority was a strong and sound reason why they should support it." He candidly anticipated a greater majority against his party than even before Easter, and in that case the only course was to appeal to the constituencies, though his own last meeting with his constituents had been far from comfortable. The anomalous character of the Irish Church was no objection to it,—though he did not object to removing it by "levelling up," instead of down, —and so on, through a see-saw of candour and contradiction. Lord Royston is, we believe, Controller of the Queen's House- hold. Was he put there to supply Her Majesty with " the comic element," now too often omitted from Royal households ?