Soon after giving this answer Lord Palmerston was again called
up by the indomitable spirit of Mr. Darby Griffith, who wished him to clear up the mystery how the accurate anticipa- tion of the Chancellor's budget got into The Times. The officers of the Civil Service, said Mr. Griffith, had been exonerated by Mr. Gladstone,—the leakage must, then, have occurred through a Cabinet Minister. Lord Palmerston was equal to the occasion,— indeed he enjoyed it. He disclaimed all responsibility for successful prophecies. Newspapers are bound to guess. When they guess right they gain credit, —when wrong, nobody remembers. The Times had prophesied right without any great credit, for the problem was an easy one. The Fire-insurance tax was doomed. It was obvious that the rest of the surplus would be partly given to remission of direct, paztly to remission of indirect, taxation. The income-tax of course would go down. Tea was as likely as any article of con- sumption to be selected also. "No person belonging to the Government high or low would be guilty of any breach of faith in regard to any matter confided to him." The House laughed and was satisfied. No doubt the success was due to happy but assisted guessing. Without intellectual assistance, who could guess that nearly a million and a half of the next year's taxation, as well as more than three millions and a half of the current year's, would be dispensed with ? Such a prophet as that would have honour even in his own country.
