The wrench that has been given to politics and parties
by "the- Crisis " is unfavourable to the chances of Lord Selborne's Judi- cature Bill. It is true the measure will have the unusual advan- tage of being supported by the legal chiefs on either side of the House of Lords, which will more than compensate for the menaced criticism—not, however, to be despised—of Lord Westbury. But the very fact that the Lord Chancellor has by anticipa- tion recognised the gravity of some of the objections taken to the Bill, and has promised to give every opportunity for the adoption of amendments in committee, foreshadows prolonged debates on the details of the scheme in both Houses. In any event, after the time that has now been lost, the Bill cannot go down to the Commons until the Session is far advanced, and there it will have- to run the gauntlet of a score of keen lawyers whose interests it directly touches. In these circumstances, it would be over- sanguine to hope that the Bill can become law in the present Session. It has, however, cleared the ground for a settlement.
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