Mr. Gladstone made a statement as to the condition of
business on Thursday which encourages us to hope that he does really intend,—as we have all along ventured to maintain,—to make a vigorous push for carrying not only the Irish Land Bill, but the Education Bill and the University Tests' Bill this session. He divided the business to be got through into three groups. In the first he placed the Irish Land Bill, the Education Bill, the Uni- versity Tests' Bill, and a Bill founded on the report of the Com- mittee on Parliamentary and municipal elections,—we suppose a ballot bill. These he was very anxious to send up to the Lords
in time for full discussion, and therefore for acceptance by the Lords. In the second class of Bills he placed the Naturalization Bill, one of the first necessity, but not of the first magni- tude,—the Irish Matrimonial Jurisdiction Bill, a Bill rendered necessary by a forget in the Irish Church Act which will practically put a stop to Protestant marriages ; and one or two others. In the third class were all others touched upon in the speech from the Throne. From this statement we feel con- vinced Mr. Gladstone has no intention whatever of abandoning either the Education Bill,—in spite of Lord Russell's hint as to the endurability of delay,—or the University 'rests' Bill. The last item may, we hope, reconcile the bitterest of the Dissenters to an early education measure, even though it be not of the only favoured type.
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