The numbers surprised the Liberals ; but every member of
the Tory Party was either present or had paired ; and of 38 Unionists present, 35 voted with Sir M. Hicks-Beach. They had very little option, for the Government must be sustained, at all events until its Irish policy is made known ; but most of them were entirely convinced by Lord Hartington's speech. It was most moderate, but dead against the Bill. He denied that the appointment of the Commission admitted the heaviness of the judicial rents, showed that those rents were the admitted basis of Mr. Gladstone's recent Purchase Bill—a most crushing retort from the Parliamentary point of view—denied that the Bill could be whittled down into a harmless measure in Committee, and expressed his belief that under its provisions the payment of rents would be suspended throughout Ireland. He concluded with :a peroration denouncing interference with guaranteed rights, except under the pressure of irresistible necessity. The speech made a deep impression in the House, where all listeners notice Lord Hartington's immense advance in oratory, the result, probably, of profound conviction ; but we do not see that it disposes of the grand point, which is that the Legislature, having promised a fair rent, ought, if prices have fallen as alleged, to lower the rental. Whether the allegation is true or not, can be decided by the Court. We are quite certain that if Lord Harlington stood towards his tenants as Parliament stands towards Irish tenants, he would, in the event of a great fall in prices, make an adequate redaction. Why, then, should not Parliament?
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