Mr. Mundella's prospects at Sheffield are, we believe, excellent ;
and there is every prospect that the most foolish, boastful, and malignant of the cabal against Mr. Gladstone will not again be returned to Parliament. It will undoubtedly be an immense step in the direction of conciliation between masters and men, if the author of the system of Councils of Conciliation be substituted for one who has delighted in aggravating the resentments of both parties. Mr. Roebuck applied by counsel to the Rolls' Court on Thursday to commit the printers and publishers of the Sheffield Independent (which has chiefly fought the battle against him) for contempt of Court, in having published extracts from a bill in a suit before the Court of a tendency to damage Mr. Roebuck politically. It was pointed out that the articles referred to cautioned their readers that the extracts were ex parte ; but Lord Romilly of course asserted the privilege of the Court, and ordered three apologies to be inserted to Mr. Roebuck in the Sheffield Independent, and the costs of the motion to be paid, otherwise he would commit the defendants. That is all right, of course ; but Mr. Roebuck must surely be in extremis when he is driven to such a step as this.
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