The Gladstonian candidate for Bute has received a letter from
Mr. Gladstone, dated September 29th, in which the writer declares that until there has been "a reasonable settlement of the Irish Question," there can be "no effectual prosecution of British reforms in general, and no adequate attention to the claims of Scotland in particular." "It can hardly," pro- ceeds the letter, "be that the electors of Bute can desire the continuance of a state of things under which the known wishes of Scotland in her local matters are constantly over- ridden by the votes of English Members, as you will be able easily to demonstrate by facts and figures of actual experience." But Home-rule in Ireland would not prevent this. Are we, then, to suppose that Mr. Gladstone advocates Scotch Home- rule P Who can tell P Mr. Gladstone, when he wrote his letter, probably laid down his pen with much the same feelings as those experienced on a similar occasion by the candidate in "The Biglow Papers." He seems to say to his Scotch corre- spondent :—
"Tell 'em that on the Home-rule Question I'm Bight, although to speak I'm loath. This gives you a safe point to rest on,
And leaves me frontin' North by South."
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