Lord Hartington made a good speech at Chatsworth on Monday
last, in addressing some excursionists from the Rossendale Division of Lancashire, to whom he remarked that he did not much like turning Chatsworth into a place for party demonstrations, as he wished to see the people of all parties coming there willingly and frequently; and he thought it might tend to daunt Home-rulers or Conserva- tives from coming to see Chatsworth, if they found that it was identified with Liberal Unionist demonstrations. Moreover, he thought that politics and holiday-making had better be kept separate, that politics were all the better for not being mixed up with holiday-making, and holiday-making all the merrier for not being mixed up with politics. This probably suggested to him the notion that politics appear just now to be played like a game of cricket, the whole endeavours of the Opposition bowlers being to get the Government batters out. He did not think this the highest view of the political contest ; but even if that view were accepted, the game must be played under given rules and restrictions, which rules and restrictions should be laid down for the welfare of the nation, and should be fully and fairly observed by the players on both sides. The recent obstructive tactics did not seem to come fairly within these rules and restrictions laid down for the benefit of the nation, and unless these violations of the rules were openly and emphatically condemned, the game of politics, even treating it as a game, could not be fairly played.
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