On Monday in the House of Commons Sir Henry Camp-
bell-Bannerman moved as a vote of censure a Resolution regretting the action of those Ministers who had accepted office in the Liberal Unionist organisation, that body having formally declared its adherence to Mr. Chamberlain's policy. Most of Sir Henry's speech was a reaffirmation of the doctrine of Ministerial responsibility. His attack, he said, was directed less against the action of individual Ministers than against the Government who sanctioned it by their silence. " The truth is that the Government's tenure of office has been, and is being, used for the purpose of sapping and mining the fiscal system of this country "—a proposition with which we entirely agree. By far the ablest speech in criticism of the Government's general policy was made by Lord Hugh Cecil, who broke through the veil of " statements " and " explanations " to the undeniable and damning facts of conduct. " There was a great deal to be said for taking up a middle course. But the Government had not taken a middle course. They had taken an ambiguous coarse, which was a very different thing." Mr. Arthur Elliot made a sound and temperate speech, in which he declared that Unionist Free-traders would not have their Unionism made a stalking-horse for Protection. We would notice also a witty speech by Mr. Lloyd-George, who compared Mr. Chamber- lain's party to a volunteer fleet which had sunk many good vessels. The great question was whether it had been com7 missioned by the Prime Minister.
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