Of Mr. Gladstone's speech we have said almost as much
else- where as we can usefully say to those who do not themselves read, as everybody should, that terse and -vivid specimen of state- ment, argument, and denunciation. But we may add that no part of it produced such an effectes the conclusion, in which he took up the Constitutional issue forgotten by Lord Hartington. Such a use of the Treaty-making power as that of the Govern- ment would necessarily bring, he said, the Treaty-power itself into question. The Treaty-making power, was "a prerogative which had been endured because it had been used with moderation, with a regard to precedent and to the rights of Parliament, and to the sense and convictions of the people, but which when not so used, be- comes intolerable." Imaginary British interests were first set up ; they were prosecuted by strange and unheard-of means ; our public obligations to Europe were set at naught in the prosecu- tion; then came a disregard, a neglect, it may perhaps even be said a contempt. for the rights of Parliament ; and the final result was a great increase of responsibility, no increase, but father a diminution, of strength, a "loss of respect abroad, a shock to Constitutional instincts at home, and an augmentation of the burdens which are laid on the back of a too confiding people."
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