The Duke's place in the Cabinet as Lord Privy Seal
has been filled up by the appointment of Lord Carlingford, who will greatly strengthen the hands of the Government in the discus- sion of the Laud Bill. It was Lord Carlingford—theu Mr. Chichester Fortescue—who was Mr. Gladstone's chief colleague in the great task of passing the Irish Land Bill of 1870, and who, himself a great Irish landlord, by his minute knowledge of the Irish land question has contributed materially to strengthen the report of the Duke of Richmond's Commission on that sub- ject. His authority will far more than outweigh, with reason- able men, the dissent of the Duke of Argyll, and will secure for the Irish laud measure at least this deference in the House of Lords,—that nobody will think that a measure of redundantly revolutionary violence, or even one falling short of perfect prud- ence so long as it is remembered that the most dauntless courage is often the most perfect prudence, would be supported by Lord Carlingford.
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