In the evening speech, Mr. Morley twitted the Tories with
their complete right-about-face on the Bradlaugh question, and on the question of the Closure, with relation to both of which matters they had been converted to the Liberal policy of a few years ago. And, of course, he prophesied that in relation to our Irish policy, they would a few years hence be converted as completely as they have been on these two subjects. Then he went on to declare that the Local Government Bill is a mere instalment of what is wanted, especially as regards the consolidation of local authorities, the consolidation of local rates, and the omission to give the smaller districts a separate local government of their own,—a most mischievous sug-
gestion, as we believe, which would issue in all sorts of petty jobbery. He was particularly severe on retaining the nomination of the Chief Constable in the hands of the Quarter-Sessions, which he called a very odd sort of trust in the people, and not at all unlike the old Tory distrust. In short, if we understand Mr. Morley aright, he would at once throw all power that could be thrown into the hands of these thoroughly experimental bodies, and would hazard everything on an untried organisation without preparation, gradation, or precaution.
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