Mr. Morley, in one of the best passages of his
speech, con- gratulated the Tories on having at length found out that Mr. Gladstone is the great Conservative force within the Liberal Party. We have been preaching that truth for the last ten years, but we doubt if it is recognised by Tories yet. They have found a new object of vituperation in Mr. Chamber- lain, who is scolded for everything, even for being rich— which used to be a pardonable offence in Tory eyes—but we doubt if he does more than distract them. Scarcely any one gets up on the hustings without abusing Mr. Gladstone, and no Tory journalist can mention him without anathema. More- over, there is a test which seems final. The regular Tory course, if they see a Liberal with influence whom they think even slightly Conservative, is to praise him to the skies, and beseech him to come over. They did this with Mr. Forster and Mr. Goschen, and are doing it with Lord Hartington. They never try it with Mr. Gladstone. He is, in their eyes, incorrigible ; and the moment his campaign begins, and lesser people fall into the background, they will open on him again. The habit does not matter much, as Mr. Gladstone need not read their abuse, and
it brings thousands of voters to the Liberal side ; but its con- tinuance shows a curious inability to master the patent facts of the situation. Even the Conservative Clergy will not see that Mr. Gladstone is their guarantee.
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