On Friday week, the Lords Committee of Inquiry into the
Land Act submitted a formal Report in favour of extending the purchase clauses of the Land Act, by a scheme under which the State would advance the whole sum at 3 per cent. ; while the tenant would pay the State 3 per cent., thus clearing off the debt within some fifty years. This report was intended, of course, to strengthen Mr. Smith's hands, but on Thursday that gentleman gave notice that, the Government having taken a, "new departure," having pledged itself to further measures for strengthening the law, and having promised to make proposals on the very subject he had brought forward, he thought it " more seemly" to withdraw his notice. It is understood that many Tories are reluctant to support peasant-proprietorship, or to assist Government in carrying out that policy ; and as there can now be no party advantage in overbidding the Liberals, their reluctance has carried the day. We venture to say that when the Government proposal is brought forward, Conservatives. will oppose it, though men like Messrs. Chaplin and Lowther will head the resistance, instead of the usual leaders.
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