There was no debate on the Address in the Commons.
Mr. De Grey moved its adoption in words which were re-echoes-of the Royal Speech ; but Mr. Graves, who seconded him, travelled a little out of the record to put in a very strong plea for State con- trol over Irish Railways. These formalities over, Mr. Gladstone rose, and in his happiest and most conciliatory manner supported the Address, promised Lord Stanley kindly consideration, put in a word for Crete, called the Army of Reserve "that most desirable object," hinted that workmen mist be left free to combine so long as they abstained from terrorism, denounced electoral corruption as an offence which lowered representative government in the eyes of the Continent, promised a fair hearing for the Government pro- posals as to Reform, but significantly hinted that thereinust be no further delay. Mr. Disraeli then rose, and in a speech of only ten minutes promised to state on Monday the course he Proposed to take upon Reform, giving, however, no hint what that coarse would be.
