Rumours as to the way the contest will go are,
of course, flying thick, but we believe the following to be, as yet, very near the truth. Mr. Disraeli will not quit office until taken out by the collar. The Government, therefore, will fight the Resolutions one by one, consuming as much time as possible, and if defeated at last, will propose this dilemma to Her Majesty We cannot recommend an affirmative reply to an address asking for the Irish Church as a prey. At the same time, we cannot recommend the Queen to reject a prayer sent up by such a majority. Conse- quently, we propose to consult the country, but in deference to the feelings of Parliament and clear expediency, we will defer the dissolution till January, when the new electorate comes into power.' It is probable that this course of action, mean as it is, will not be seriously resisted in the House. We have explained elsewhere one of the reasons which tend to moderate the ardour of the Liberal attack ; and there is another, the difficulty the Liberal Government would have in taking up the Scotch Reform Bill without either refusing Scotland more Members—an ungracious thing, though Scotland has been wonderfully good in the matter,—or reopening the endless subject of redistribution.
