Mr. Raikes is shocked at Mr. Gladstone. Not content with
disestablishing the Irish Church, and revolutionising the rela- tions of landlord and tenant in Ireland, and starving the national armaments, and "violating the Constitution to pass an Army Reform Bill," the late Premier, said the Mem- ber for Chester on Monday to his constituents, had actually gone down to Chester, a borough with which he had nothing to do, and made a speech which menaced Mi., Raikes's seat, Mr. Raikes, who " served the House of Commons" —he is Chairman of Committees—and who ought, therefore, to be supported, or, at all events, treated with consideration, by both parties. Mr. Raikes seemed to feel asif a sacrilege had been committed, and was BO angry that he could not even be consistent, declaring that Mr. Gladstone was a great elec- tioneering agent, who always benefited the side to which he was opposed. In that case, Mr. Gladstone has promoted Mr. Raikes's re-election, which, in Mr. Raikes's opinion, is the duty of everybody. We suppose the thought in Mr. Raikes's mind was that as Chairman of Committees he was entitled to be returned, as the Speaker usually is, unopposed, and we should allow some force to his appeal if temperately expressed. But he forgets that the Speaker acknowledges the courtesy of his opponents by abstaining from political controversy. Can Mr. Raikes conscientiously say that he himself has put in that claim to immunity from opposition ?
