Mr. Gladstone delivered a final speech at Edinburgh on Satur-
day, upon the subject of finance, a most scathing exposure of Sir Stafford Northcote's smooth sayings in defence of his mis- management. We cannot, of, course, condense a speech of six columns, bristling in every line with facts and. argument ; but Mr. Gladstone's propositions, all conclusively proved, are that the aggregate surpluses of the last five years of the Liberal Government were 17-i- millions ; and that the aggregate deficiencies of five years of Tory Govern- ment are 6 millions ; that the Income-tax, which he him- self offered to take off, has been increased to sixpence ; and that while the Liberal expenditure for 1873-4 was 70 millions, the Tory expenditure for 1878-79 was 781 The Liberal Government remitted 12 millions of taxes, after deducting the taxes it imposed ; the Tory Government has imposed. 51 millions, after deducting the taxes it has remitted. These are the broad figures, which should not be forgotten. Mr. Gladstone compared Sir Stafford Northcote, when re- fusing to tax, to the spendthrift who, with an income of 25,000 a year, spends 210,000, but applauds himself for economy, because of his bills he only pays 25,000. In addition to the waste in this country, the Tory Government has ac- cumulated deficiencies in India of six millions, not counting the expenses of the Afghan war ; deficiencies which, if they continue, will force upon the country a guarantee for the Indian Debt, now 2134,000,000. Mr. Gladstone concluded a speech which seems to have convinced even Tories by denouncing the new practice of supplementary budgets, which make sound finance impossible ; and the concealment of war expenses, especially in draughts on mat6riel, which ought to be replaced, but is not.
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