Sir Richard Cross spoke on the same day at St.
Helen's, beginning his speech by insisting on the surpassing greatness of Lord Beaconsfield, on "what he had done for the country, what self-sacrifices he had made ;" then dilating on the great loss which the present Government had suffered in the resignation, of the Marquis of Lansdowne, followed by that of the Duke of Argyll; and then going on to very elaborate proofs, from the void in a few Division-lists, that the present Government is divided against itself. After those flights of Sir Richard Cross's imagination, he proceeded to attack the Government for making rash experiments on Ireland by giving up the Tory Coercion Act,—which, in fact, the Tories themselves allowed to expire, for it could not have been renewed by Parliament after the dissolution, within the time fixed for the duration of the previous Act. He also devoted a large part of hie speech to an attack upon the Government for their course in relation to Mr. Brad- laugh, on which Sir Richard Cross has himself entirely changed his own ground, since he discovered, or thought he discovered,. that the anti-Bradlaugh cry is a geed one on which to go- to the constituencies ; for formerly, he was favourable to new legislation, which he now opposes. Finally, he went into a demonstration that all the difficulties of the Government were- due to the hot and rash speeches of the Midlothian campaign. He concluded. with a very hot and rash diatribe of his own against the policy of confiscation, with which he declared the Irish Land Bill to be identified. A rather slip-slop speech ended. with a strain of prophecy to the general effect that, at the next general election, the people would record their agree- ment with Sir Richard Cross.
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