NEWS OF THE WEEK.
-FIORD SALISBURY has made his speech, and has nailed his colours to the mast. He will not surrender whatever happens. In words quoted textually elsewhere, he declared on Wednesday, at Glasgow, that a seat in the Upper House is a burden and an opprobrium, and of no social advantage, unless indeed, the House be "independent," —so independent, that whenever it differs with the Commons the dispute should be referred to the people. This is, of course, not only to assert equality with the Commons, but to claim in express words the right of dictating dissolution. He assumed throughout his speech, which was marked by an unusual amount of acrimony, that Mr. Gladstone, whom he characterised as "an arrogant dictator," was utterly dishonest and capable of so manipulating Redistribution, that his appeal to the new electors would really be an appeal to a new country. The Premier is "anxious to disgrace and humiliate the Second Chamber," and conscious of failure in Egypt and cowardice in South Africa, seeks to raise a cloud in which the facts of his Administration may be concealed. Mr. Gladstone has learnt much from Russian diplo- macy, and attacks institutions as Russia attacks small Powers. "He is always the good man, the excellent Conservative driven against his will by the obstinacy of the House of Lords to undertake a crusade for their destruction." In short, Mr. Glad- stone is a political rogue, who will gerrymander the constitu- encies for his own advantage, give solemn pledges not mean- ing to keep them, and consciously attack the Constitution under cover of defending it. Lord Salisbury degenerates as a swordsman. Formerly he was "a master of flouts and jeers ;" now he condescends to mere abuse. He should, purely as a matter of art, leave gross charges of this kind to Sir R. A. Cross, and that kind of man.
