A meeting of the Conservative Party was held at the
Carlton Club on Thursday, and was addressed by Lord Salisbury on the necessity for earnestness, union, and loyalty, if the great battle is to be won. Lord Salisbury specified the Tithes Bill and the Irish Land-Purchase Bill as the two paramount measures of the Session, and hoped that the Tithes Bill might pass its second reading before Easter. There was nothing in the meeting to confirm Mr. Morley in the hope over which in his Stepney speech he positively gloated, that the discussion would reveal the profound demoralisation and despondency of the party. Doubtless there are a few deeply discontented landlords who do not like being held responsible for tithe, and doubt if they can get their tenants, under present circumstances, to re- imburse them for paying it ; but there are always malcon- tents whenever justice has to be done, for the human heart has a wonderful knack of regarding anything as injustice which frets itself. Nevertheless, after Mr. Morley has made the most of the quaverings of a few half-hearted Conserva- tives, he will probably have to confess to himself that his hopes have been blighted,—that the Unionists are as united and as determined as ever. A political partisan is not very well qualified for prophetic utterances, even though he only endeavor to anticipate events by less than twenty-four hours.
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