NEWS OF THE WEEK.
MR. GLADSTONE'S Home-rule Bill passed its first reading on Tuesday without a division, after a debate which in some respects rose fully to the level of the situation, and in others fell unexpectedly below it. Mr. Gladstone, Lord Hartington, Mr. Goschen, and on many points Mr. Chamberlain, have delivered themselves like deliberating statesmen of the first rank ; but the speeches of lesser men have generally been poor. No Irishman of the Parnellite Party has contributed anything to debate ; Sir Charles Russell, who is an Irish Home-ruler not of that party, hardly stepped out of the argument that the Union had failed ; and Mr. Morley, the only English Home-ruler of the eve who spoke, only said, and that not as well as usual, that there was no other way of governing Ireland. The House was cold to the plan, very cold, and if it were the final arbiter, we should say the Bill was lost. That is the opinion of many observers, but they are a little premature. Mr. Whitbread's adhesion to the Bill shows tremor in the Whig ranks, his argument being that the offer once made, it is impossible to withdraw it ; and the opinion of the masses is not known. The labour representatives are for the Bill, and there is still an uncertainty in the boroughs, which will not be removed until the Members have seen their constituents. Perhaps the most probable opinion is that the Bill will be carried by too small a majority to pass it through Committee ; but it is only an opinion.
