Mr. Goschen supported his predecessor in a speech the pith
of which was that Sir S. Robinson, though a man of unusual capa- city, was difficult to get on with ; that he was a political officer, and that his relations with his colleagues were such as made his removal indispensable. Mr. Gladstone concluded the debate in a striking speech ; in which he vindicated his action, on the ground that the Government must be responsible for the removal or retention of all semi-political officers, who are specially declared to hold office during pleasure in order to establish the thorough responsibility of their chiefs. He entirely admitted Sir Spencer's. merits, but Mr. Childers had declared on his responsibility that the retention of the Controller would be injurious to the public- service, and therefore the Controller had been called on to resign. He entirely admitted the right of the House of Commons to order- a Committee of Inquiry, but considered that the exercise of that right would be equivalent to a formal vote of censure. The House- on a division affirmed the Premier's view by 153 to 104.
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