Mr. Chamberlain on Tuesday made a speech at Gloucester to
the National Liberal Federation, in which he severely attacked the Ministry. " Home policy," he said, " they have none, and their foreign policy is detestable." For "the past six years, we had been spending our money in unjust and unnecessary wars, and getting into hot-water in every corner of the world." Were the electors " willing that the Parliament which was now drag- ging out the term of its inglorious existence, should be replaced by another Parliament like unto it?" Had they had enough of masterly inactivity at home, and mischievous activity abroad? There was a Board of Directors near Westminster " on which a suspicion would lie of having obtained money on false pretences, and issued reports calculated to deceive the public." The firm of which he was speaking, " the Tory Long Firm," had " now almost exhausted its credit, and was striving to renew its bills." They had distributed a dividend of "peace with honour." In the Afghan peace, the Ameer had imposed his terms on us. The Government had not published the instructions to Sir Garnet Wolseley, " because it had not made up its mind, and had no mind to make up." The policy of Government in its wars was, " Heads I lose, tails you win." It " had all the dis- advantages of annexation, and none of its glory or profit." When the house was on fire, the first duty was to put out the conflagration; and the first duty now in politics was to turn this Government oat. The Times is mightily displeased with Mr. Chamberlain's rough speech, and all the Tory papers are crying " Fie, fie !" as if they had never heard of Mr. Disraeli's attacks on Sir Robert Peel. They demand that all speakers should reason, as if anybody could reason with a roaring " patriot " brandishing a purse and a banner. What is there to do, except swear at him, as intelligibly as may be ?
