NEWS OF THE WEEK.
MR. GLADSTONE has returned from his trip to Norway, and on Monday was again at Hawarden. Though suffer- ing a little from an attack of lnmbago,he is singularly wellin general health, and his voice will, it is believed, be completely restored. The muscles of the throat were, in fact, fatigued, as the muscles of the arm might be. It is stated that Mr. Gladstone will not speak till October; but we trust that this information is incorrect. Even if he has to write his opinion as to the line to be taken in the next election, it should be announced forthwith. The " split" in the Liberal ranks over which Tories are so exultant does not matter much, as it is in the main a split among leaders who, if Mr. Gladstone will command in chief, will soon arrive at some compromise ; but the confusion among candidates does matter. There are five hundred of them in Britain alone ; they are besieged by fanatic sections among the voters, and in the absence of guidance, they are pledging themselves to all kinds of crude ideas, and are unable to defend themselves by the usual argument that the leaders have decided upon a possible plan of action. This anarchy should be terminated at once, or we may see the Liberal Party reduced to five hundred individualities, each declaring that he is compelled by his peculiar relation to his constituents to fight for his own hand. The necessity of discipline felt by a minority exonerates the Tories from all pledges ; but no individual Liberal in the next Parliament will feel that his vote is essential to the Liberal Government. Mr. Gladstone must speak out soon,
even if it be on paper.
