Mr. Gladstone on Monday announced that he would on April
8th ask leave to "bring in a Bill to amend the provisions for the future government of Ireland," that the 12th would be devoted to the Budget, and that on the 15th he would bring in another " Bill to make amended provision for the sale and purchase of land in Ireland." It has been imagined from this rather unex- pected arrangement that the Expropriation Bill will not be pushed like the Home-rule Bill ; but we are informed this is not the case, though, of course, the former Bill must depend upon the latter. The Whigs in the Cabinet will not desert the land- lords. The rumours as to the method of resistance to be adopted have been endless, and some of them absurd; but it may safely be assumed that permission to bring in the Bill will be given, and that no division will be taken till the second reading, which will be after Easter. That will allow of time for combinations, which Lord Salisbury has returned to facilitate, and also allow English and Scotch Members to ascertain the opinion of their constituencies by direct intercourse during the Easter holidays, a process the more necessary from the present silence. It is one of the strangest fade of the situation that, as the Echo has remarked, there has as yet been no Liberal public meeting in favour of Home-rule. The electors wait, it may be half incredulous that such a proposal will be made.
