e small
cleverness of small points--but it was badly delivered. It did not seem
to rise to the heights expected on such an occasion; in short, it was a
disappointment. Only once or twice did the Leader of the Opposition
succeed in rousing his friends to even an approach to enthusiasm.
Speaking of the amount of money put to the credit of Ireland, he
declared the Government admitted they had been beaten in a conflict with
the forces of law and order, and that this was the war indemnity which
had to be paid--a hit that very much delighted Mr. Chamberlain. The
portion of the speech which created sensation was that in which he
alluded to the use of the veto. It had been contended by Mr. Sexton that
the veto would never be used unless the Irish Parliament so abused its
powers as to justify the use of it. This was an honourable bargain
between the British Parliament and the Irish. To such a bargain Mr.
Balfour declared he and his friends would be no parties. They would not
let the weapon of veto rust in case it were put into their hands, and so
on--a passage which excited some enthusiasm on the Tory benches and
strong anger on the Irish.

[Sidenote: Mr. Bryce.]

The real framers of the Bill are understood to be Mr. Gladstone, Mr.
Morley, and Mr. Bryce. No man in the House of Commons has so complete a
knowledge as Mr. Bryce of the various forms of government in the world,
especially in countries which have the complicated system that is about
to be fashioned under the new Bill. Mr. Bryce is a professor and a
student, and he has the manner of his calling and his pursuits. Arguing
his case without passion, slowly, calmly, in excellently chosen
language, he can speak on even the most violently contested measure as
though it were a demonstration in anatomy. So he spoke on February
14th--making mince-meat with deadly tranquillity of manner of most of
the objections of Mr. Balfour, and altogether strengthening the position
of the Bill.

[Sidenote: Mr. Redmond.]

A speech which had been looked forward to with even greater curiosity
was that of Mr. Redmond, the leader of the Parnellites. The Tories had
settled themselves down in large numbers, counting on a great treat. And
undoubtedly the opening of Mr. Redmond's speech was not auspicious. He
thought that some recognition should have been given to the great dead
Irishman as well as to the living Englishman who had brought the Home
Rule question to its present position. The deligh