Mr. Milner Gibson addressed his constituents at Ashton on Tuesday,
in a long and clever but rather indefinite speech. After describing the desire of the Foreign Secretary and himself to pro- mote English commercial interest's abroad, and arguing against the repeal of the malt-tax, he referred to the division on the Holstein question as a proof that the Liberals have a larg6 majority in Great Britain, and are only behind in Ireland owing to the momentary junction between the Conservatives and Ultra- montanes. He repudiated entirely Mr. Disraeli's plan of a new spiritual tribunal, thought reform could only be obtained by pressure from without, but would support any bill brought for- ward for enlarging the suffrage, held that the struggle between North and South was really between freedom and slavery, and trusted that when the war ended America and England would act on the natural tendencies towards alliance which must always dravi them together,—altogether a satisfactory if not a progressive speech. Mr. Milner Gibson said one good thing, " We all, when standing still, feel an inclination to go a little backwards by way of doing something "—a subtle explanation of the course of the present Ministry.
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