21 DECEMBER 1878, Page 2

The division list shows that hardly any genuine Liberals voted

with the Government. Of course Mr. Roebuck did, but he is no more a Liberal than is Sir Robert Peel. Sir N. M. de Rothschild voted with the Government, in compliance with the general feeling of the Jews ; but Mr. Samuda only absented himself from the division, while Sir Julian Goldsmid paired with the Opposition. The Marquis of Stafford voted with the Government, but considering the line taken by the Duke of Sutherland, that is not at all a matter of surprise. Besides these, Mr. W. H. Foster, Mr. H. A. Herbert, Mr. Yeaman, and Mr. John Walter were the only deserters. Of Conservatives who voted with the Liberals there was but one, Sir A. Gordon. On the other band, there must have been many more Liberal than Conservative absentees, the Conservatives having polled almost their full number. There can be no doubt that the seven years' Parliament is too long, and gives room for a great and growing divergency between the convictions of the constituencies and the convictions of their Parliamentary representatives.