NEWS OF THE WEEK.
THE week has not been a pleasant one to the political observer. The useless and wearisome Session has, indeed, practically ended ; but Mr. Parnell, aided by the excusable but mistimed firmness of the Government in rejecting all compro- mise, has succeeded in embittering rent-payers against, rent. receivers. There will be a rough winter in Ireland, and it may be necessary to call Parliament together to maintain order before the Government can announce its own remedial scheme. That scheme, again, will be embarrassed by the Parnellite dread lest if the tenants were contented, Home-rule should lose its spring, and by Mr. Gladstone's unexpected declaration on Monday that he should oppose any agrarian settlement in Ireland if it imposed burdens on the British taxpayer. That may be a sound proviso ; but surely his own Bill imposed such burdens. The material of conflict at home is being stored up, and abroad it is almost catching fire. In spite of Prince Bismarck's desire for peace, which carries him up to or over the verge of principle, the tension between Austria-Hungary and Russia tends to increase, Turkey is arming with inexplicable energy, and there is no evidence that the causa causans of quarrel, the dispute between the Bulgarians and the Russian Court, is calming down. The great Assembly at Sofia is summoned for October 10th, and if it is anti-Russian, as it ought to be and threatens to be, the winds will be let loose.
