The Scottish Farmers' Alliance sent a strong deputation to Mr.
Gladstone, on Wednesday, to press on him the importance of at once abolishing the laws of entail and primogeniture, and of secur- ing to them the full value of their own improvements. Mr. Glad- stone replied that the Government, as was well known, was strongly in sympathy with the farmers on the latter subject, and that he personally agreed with them on the former ; but that "the condition of impotence to which we are reduced in the House of Commons is such, that I should be deceiving you, if I were to pretend that I saw my way to Government legisla- tion." "It is to the question of Procedure that I am delighted to see that the country is directing its mind, and the application of the mind of the country to that question is the main ground of my hope that the House of Commons will be allowed to deal with it thoroughly,"—to which we give an earnest "Amen," with the remark that what we mean by " deal- ing with it thoroughly," is devolving on the Government the formal responsibility for administering the time of the House of Commons, so long as it can secure the same majority which is the only condition of confidence in other matters.
