NEWS OF THE WEEK
THE House of Commons adjourned on Tuesday, after a most disappointing Session of two months. Not only has nothing been accomplished, but what is much more disheartening and unusual, but little progress has been made towards the solidi- fication of opinion. It has been shown that the majority of Liberal electors are favourable to the Closure, but that is all. The belief in Coercion has died away, but that has been a result of events, not arguments; the incessant Irish debates having produced little result, except a sort of moral horror of the Par- nellite Members; and that is confined to Britain, and will not affect their re-electioli. The Tories suppose that the two months have weakened Mr. Gladstone with the constituencies, but there is no proof of that, while there is proof that the abuse poured so lavishly upon him is exciting keen electoral resentment. Altogether, the two months have been exceedingly infructuous, and if the general position is not worse than in January, the general hopefulness has declined.
