The Irish Members have not as yet pronounced themselves about
the change, and are apparently waiting for the declara- tions of Monday. The Anti-Parnellites are practically silent, as if they had not the cue, and though the Parnellites have issued a manifesto, in which they declare that they have no confidence in Lord Rosebery, and that Mr. Glad- stone's retirement "can have its origin only in a scheme to defeat the hopes of the Irish people," they do not state precisely what they intend to do. All Irish Home-rulers must indeed be in a bit of a quandary. The fate of the Govern- ment is of course in their hands ; but if they overthrow it, there will be a Dissolution, and with the Irish electors abstaining, the Unionist majority will be unprecedentedly large. We presume, therefore, that if Home-rule continues to maintain its place in the Gladstonian programme, the Irish will agree to its postponement till after the Dissolution. It is just possible, however, that Mr. Healy's followers may be too afraid of Mr. Redmond's followers to take that course, and in that case, the pressure on the Cabinet will be very severe indeed. They will have to offer something, and the only thing they are ready to offer—an Evicted Tenants' Com- pensation Bill—will certainly be rejected by the Lords. The Radical cave has melted, but the Irish cave is not damp yet.
