On Wednesday night, Sir George Trevelyau made a speech at
Holloway Hall, North Islington, in which he was wild enough to say that the Liberal Party was being reorganised " under the pressure of the most Tory Government that the country had ever seen since the time of Eldon and Castlereagh, and including their administration." Has the word " Tory" any meaning in the month of a politician who can use such language as that ? Why, the present Government is far more Liberal than that of which the great " Lord Spencer and I " to whom Sir George Trevelyan has referred with pride so many scores of times, were illustrious members. What would Lords Eldon and Castlereagh have said to the Local Government Bill of last year, for instance,—of which even Sir George Trevelyan could not speak without admitting that it had greatly advanced municipal liberty ? Nevertheless, the optated " Aldermen " are great rocks of offence to Sir George Trevelyan. " The country," he said, "had had enough of men who were afraid to face popular election." That would apply just as much to the Judges as to the experts whom the County Councils ought to choose, and sometimes apparently do choose, as specially qualified col- leagues. Indeed, why not elect the police themselves, if the country has had enough of men who are afraid to face popular election '? If we did, we think the country would soon have more than enough of men who were anxious to face popular election.
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