Mr. Gladstone's speech was chiefly reinarkable for his hopeful tone
in relation to Ireland, and the significant emphasis with which he insisted on the intention of the Government of Ireland to administer and enforce the law "with firmness and decision." "Although I cannot yet state that throughout the whole of Ireland, the covenants into which the cultivators of the soil have entered are punctually performed, this I am happy to say, that they are largely and increasingly performed ; and, moreover, that those who decline their performance at this moment are not the impoverished portion of the community, but are generally those who are well able to fulfil the engagements into which they have entered, and who have been, I hope but partially and for a moment, corrupted, or at least tainted, in their views of good-faith, by the evil instructions of those who should have given them better lessons." And as to the enforcement of the Jaw, he said, after an emphatic compliment to the "courage and unflinching devotion" of Mr. Forster, "the enforcement of the law will be entrusted to a body of agents who, whether the representatives of the civil power, as the Royal Constabulary, or the assistants of those representatives, I mean the military forces of the Crown, have already earned a new title to the gratitude of their countrymen, for the courage and exemplary patience with which they have performed duties a4 difficult as ever were put in charge of persons authorh.ed to execute the law." The only important part of the remainder of the speech was devoted to proving that the reform of the procedure of the House of Commons is most urgent, and is not a party question, since its delay causes the shelving of most needful and salutary changes, like the Bankruptcy Bill and the Rivers Conservancy Bill, for which all parties are equally anxious. The re-establishment of authority in Ireland and the re-establishment of the authority of the House of Commons over its own Members,—these were Mr. Gladstone's two pro- mises, to a country which looks to him as alone able to fulfil them.
