easonably conclude that things are going well with the Government; that
useful business is in progress; and that something is being really added
to the happiness of the nation.

[Sidenote: The humbled Opposition.]

So it was during the second week of the Home Rule Session. No great
diplomats claimed their seats; the outer lobby was no longer besieged;
there was no longer any ferocity of competition for seats; and the
attendance at prayers visibly relaxed; but all the time more useful
legislation was initiated in the course of the week than in any similar
period for upwards of six or seven years of Parliamentary time. A good
deal of the progress is due to the sober and subdued spirit of the
Opposition. So long as Mr. Balfour was in power, the more democratic
section of the Tory party was kept comparatively under; but with his
fall came an outburst of freedom; and men like Sir Albert Rollit, who
represent great constituencies, have been able to freely express their
real opinions. Let me pause for a moment on Sir Albert Rollit, to say
that he is a very remarkable type to those who have known the House of
Commons for a number of years--as I have. It is rather hard to make a
distinction between him and a moderate, and in some respects, even an
advanced Liberal. He boasts, and rightly, that he represents as many
working men as most of his Radical colleagues; and he certainly does sit
for a place which is not inhabited by any large number of wealthy
people. Disraeli, with his Household Suffrage; Lord Randolph Churchill,
with his Tory Democracy, have brought this type of politician into
existence, and now he is with us always. This is the answer to those who
contend that because there will be always Tories and Whigs, it makes no
difference what changes we make. The answer is Sir Albert Rollit; he is
a Tory, but the Tory of to-day is pretty much the same as the Radical of
a few years ago.

[Sidenote: The Registration Bill.]

The Government brought forward the first of their Bills, and at once the
Tory Democrat showed what he was. For Mr. Fowler was able to quote
opinions from Tories quite as favourable to reform of registration as
from Radicals, and several Tories stood up to speak in favour of the
measure. Opposition was really left to poor Mr. Webster, of St. Pancras;
but, then, everybody knew what poor Mr. Webster meant, and nothing could
better express the lowliness of the Tory party than that opposition to
anything shou