But though the motives of the peers were above suspicion,
we cannot commend the methods by which their supporters outside the House of Lords directed the campaign. There was a tendency to use intimidating language which cannot be too strongly condemned. We did not draw attention to this earlier because such language was, we felt, certain to damage the cause which it was designed to further, In an assembly of English gentlemen like the House of Lords the use of threats was the very worst policy that could possibly be pursued, and was bound to defeat its object. Now, however, that the battle is won, we feel bound to put on record the folly, and worse, of such tactics. The manner in which the chief organs of the Halsburyites in the Press—the Observer and the Pall Mall Gazette—conducted their cam- paign was in one sense, no doubt, only calculated to provoke laughter. It had, however, the ugly side to it o which we have just alluded. Some of the articles in the journals . in question almost dropped to the level of the threatening letter.
