Mr. W. H. Smith on Monday announced that, as the
House wished for an early prorogation, the Government would abandon the Sugar Convention Bill for the Session, and confine themselves practically to the Irish Drainage Bills and the Scotch Local Government Bills, which latter will be taken de die in diem,. He therefore asked for the whole of the time on Tuesdays. Mr. Gladstone assented, declaring the proposal not unreasonable ; but Mr. Labouchere, in terms noticed elsewhere, threatened to obstruct as hard as ever in order to force a dissolution. Nevertheless, on Monday and Tuesday the whole of the Naval and great part of the Army Estimates were passed, and an impression was created that business would for the rest of the Session be allowed to proceed, so that the House may rise at the latest in the second week of August. In the present temper of parties, any suspension of Parliamentary action is a relief to the country, which would adjourn the Houses for three years if it could; but then, that temper existing, we distrust all this appearance of sweet reasonableness. Who has sat upon Mr. Labouchere ? Perhaps the Scotch Members have insisted on their Local Government Bill ; but that measure will allow of discussion without end, there are any number of Irish questions which can be discussed for juons of time without a chance of settle- ment, and we no more expect an early prorogation than a change in human nature.
