Sir George Trevelyan has written a strong letter to Mr.
Halley Stewart in favour of his return for the Spalding Division of Lincolnshire, which he, as a Gladatonian, contests with Admiral Tryon, who stands as a Unionist. Sir George declares, in direct opposition to Mr. Alfred Henriques's letter pub- lished the previous day, that by Mr. Gladstone's Swansea speech, the cause for which the Liberal Unionists struck their blow is secured, and that any Liberal who after that speech votes against Mr. Halley Stewart, "is entirely wanting to his duty as a Liberal." He supports this view by quoting Mr. Chamberlain's assertion that since the Swansea speech of Mr. Gladstone, the proposals of 1886 must be regarded as absolutely withdrawn, and that the Unionist objections are therefore justified. In this Sir George Trevelyan agrees, but insists that if that be so, Mr. Chamberlain has attained the object of the Unionist revolt of last year, and has, therefore, no longer any right to remain in oppo- sition to Mr. Gladstone. But the truth is, as we think Sir George Trevelyan must be well aware, that it is quite one thing to have the two Bills of 1886 virtually withdrawn, and quite another to have a pledge that the meaning and spirit of the Union shall be effectively maintained ; and that everything shall be done to enable the Legislature and Government of the United Kingdom to assert their power effectively in protecting all parts of that Kingdom from the tyranny and oppression of local jealousies stimulated, as these would be under a Home-rule Legislature, by the authority of a separate national organisation. Does Sir George Trevelyan really hold that any word of Mr. Gladstone's has either secured, or so much as offered, anything as tangible as this P
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