On Monday, in the House of Lords, Lord Cadogan "
asked her Majesty's Government on what principle the present Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland had acted with reference to the acceptance or refusal of addresses." Lord Cadogan re- gretted Lord Houghton's absence "through indisposition," as the Government were too much "bound hand and foot by a section of their supporters in the other House, by whose authority and by whose support they live and move and have their being," to be able to give a proper answer. The Lord- Lieutenant refused the addresses of the Loyalists but accepted those of the Nationalists, although in both cases the addresses contained controversial political matter. Lord Spencer's state- ment of the principle on which Lord Houghton received or re- jected addresses is one which, with the best intentions, we have found it impossible to understand. Lord Salisbury added a touch of caustic humour at the end of the debate. He was in his happiest vein when he mocked the Government for "their policy of reticence." " It is suitable and congenial to her Majesty's Goveesemmat, wad especially to their dietinguished chief. He has great qualification and inclination to adopt the position of a despot, and we know that there is no agency which a despot likes better than a well-drilled company of mutes."
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