On Wednesday, at West Hartlepool, Mr. Goschen addressed a meeting
of Unionists in a speech of great breadth and vigour. We have spoken elsewhere as to his insistence upon the policy of mystification pursued by the Government, and its dangers, and will only note here the manner in which be dealt with the unwillingness of the Gladstonians to defend their own Bill. How was it that they did not defend its nice adjust- ment of various interests, its extremely wise construction, and show how equitable, yet at the same time generous, were its financial arrangements ? On another occasion, when a great Bill was rejected by the Lords, the cry of the country was, " The Bill, the whole Bill, and nothing but the Bill!" At present the cry is, "No Bill, nothing of the Bill, no part of the Bill, but British legislation as far as practicable I" This is not mere party scoring, but a political fact of the first signifi- cance. Every day shows more clearly that the country has not the very remotest intention of thundering at the door of the Lords to get the Bill passed. If there is thundering at anybody's doors, it is far more likely to be at those of the Commons, to demand the resignation .of "this incapable and guilty Administration."
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