Mr. C. S. Read made a speech at Harleston on
Wednesday, avowedly in answer to the Spectator's article upon his retirement. He was good-natured enough, though evidently hurt, but as he stated that he had entered the Ministry hoping to be a good servant of the State and of the tenant-farmers, he practically admitted our only serious charge. With respect to details, he says he never said a single word in favour of the repeal of the Malt-tax, beyond asking the Premier whether he and his friends might not walk out of the House when Sir Stafford Northeote's proposals came on. He defended Government on the point in his speech to the Chamber of Agriculture, and was hissed for his pains. As to the local taxation, he had thought and said that the concession made by Government was a fair instalment ; while on the Agricultural Holdings Bill he had certainly been silent, but that was because he had been ordered to hold his tongue. We are very sorry if we have misdescribed Mr. Read "as a hedgehog instead of a Hodge," as he says, but it has been from no want of pains to understand him. We have read every reported speech of his to the farmers since his election, and we think, if he will look back to them, he will see that the spirit manifested in his request to Mr. Disraeli came out outside Parliament more strongly than he now remembers.
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