On the evening of yesterday week, after our last issue
went to press, the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave notice of his inten- tion to propose (on Tuesday) a vote for the assistance of the sufferers in the Rhodope districts, and he promised to lay its terms on the table either on that evening or on Monday. Mr. Anderson, M.P. for Glasgow, immediately gave notice that in consideration of the distress which now prevails in this country, it is inexpedient to devote the money of the tax-payers to such a purpose ; and the adverse representations which crowded on the Government from its own supporters were so strong, that on Monday Sir S. Northcote announced, not the terms of his proposal, but the intention of the Government to abandon its purpose. The scene on this announcement was very curious. Lord Hartington pressed to know whether the abandonment was final. Sir W. Harcourt remarked that the Jingoes would do anything in the world for the Turks, except pay for them, and leaning familiarly over the table to the Government, suggested that their right course would be "to put it on the Hindoos ;" Mr. Serjeant Simon and Mr. Anderson pointed out how completely this course of the Government supported the doubts cast on the trustworthi- ness of the so-called Rhodope Report ; Sir R. reel made a feeble attempt at a diversion ; and Mr. Gladstone explained at length the vacillating conduct of the Government in relezion to the whole matter, notwithstanding the urgent pressure of Sir II. Layard, and the long time during which the Rhodope Report had been before them. Sir S. Northcote, of course, said that he had meant to declare that the proposal of the Government was ab- solutely at an end, and made an effort to rally the Opposition on their natural exultation over so small a matter, after their recent defeat, but was too crestfallen to make much of his little attempt at retaliation. On him personally the chief mortification must have fallen, as he had allowed himself to be thrown over by his colleagues, when he was, as shown by the issue, right.
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