The debate was resumed on Thursday, but was marked by
only two incidents. Colonel Sykes tried to get a second member for Aberdeen, which is bigger than Norwich ; but the House is so enraged with Aberdeen for always returning him, that it would not hear reason, and pronounced for the Hawick burghers, to the joy, we imagine, of Lord Elcho, whose father ought to be able to return a member for the composite county thus gutted of its only freemen. A great effort was made to disfranchise Sutherland- shire ; but neither Mr. Disraeli nor Mr. Gladstone wanted to quarrel with the group of potentates of which the Duke of Sutherland is the centre. England is getting Radical, but no Minister likes hitting the Gowers, Campbells, Fitzgeralds, and Grosvenors all at once,—and the House thought a province cover- ing 1,200,000 acres, and containing 25,000 people, ought to have one member, even though a Duke owns him. The House is right, as it is bound to allow something for the possibility of develop- ment in a great county ; but if the Duke of Sutherland would take to hazard, or the turf, or mad architecture, what a political bless- ing it would be! Providence owes us a spendthrift both at Eaton and Dunrobin.
