NEWS OF THE WEEK.
IT is announced on all sides that in the Cabinet Council of Wed- nesday it was resolved not to apply for a Coercion Bill for Ireland until a January meeting of Parliament. This resolution will not, of course, preclude a summons to Parliament, should new circumstances arise, and will be accompanied, we hope, by a decision to prepare a Bill making intimidation to procure a breach of contract a highly penal offence. It may even be necessary to exclude that offence from the list of those to be tried by juries, who cannot always be trusted to see that such intimidation is socially, as well as morally, much worse than larceny or embezzlement. All rumours of secessions from the Cabinet have died away, and it is believed that the general prin- ciples of the Irish Land Bill have been unanimously accepted. The reported resignation of Lord Spencer is specifically denied.
