In the House of Commons Lord Randolph Churchill called attention
to the same subject; and Mr. Gladstone, after making the statement which he had made in the letter to Lord Granville as to the words of Lord Salisbury, denied absolutely that his proposal was in any sense whatever private and con- fidential, being, on the contrary, essentially intended as the basis of a " public proceeding of the most responsible kind." In the letter offering the suggestion, there was no word to in- dicate a confidential document, and no word was used by Mr. Gladstone to Lord Granville of that kind. Indeed, the pro- posal was mentioned to other Peers besides Lord Cairns and Lord Salisbury. Lord Randolph Churchill then characteristically charged Mr. Gladstone with proclaiming" secret and confidential communications," and with "traducing and falsely representing opponents." Mr. Gladstone in reply spoke of Lord Randolph's language as "foul," a word which at the Speaker's request he at once withdrew, though insisting that a charge more disgraceful to himself could not have been made, since there can be no " traducing " inadvertently.
