people, in spite of whose fears the real progress of the country in the past had been effected. A day or two later Colston Day at Bristol was the occasion of the two contending parties meeting at closer quarters, the Conservative champions on this occasion being Lord Salisbury and Mr. Gibson, whilst the Liberals were represented by Lord Spencer and Sir Henry James. Neither side contributed any specially novel features to their respective programmes, the former denouncing the anarchical tendency of the Irish policy of the Government, whilst the latter contented themselves in showing that the Conservatives were so divided in opinion as to the requirements of Ireland that their candidates at recent elections professed absolutely divergent political creeds. Lord Salisbury in one respect started an original line of attack by expressing his regret that Lord Hartington's influence in the Cabinet was inappreciable, and by suggesting that his views on Irish as well as on Indian questions were overruled by his more advanced colleagues. The value and need of these repeated appearances of Cabinet and ex-Cabinet Ministers were widely canvassed, marking as they did a new era in political organisation and campaigning. It was felt that the centre of power was shifting from the House of Commons to the constituencies, and that it was only men who could attract the notice and hold the attention of popular audiences who would have weight in Parliament, and in the long run exercise power in the Cabinet. The course pursued by the Conservatives showed that, however much they may have deprecated such a revolution in the national theory of government, they had no choice but to submit, and to follow their opponents in "stumping" the provinces when the labours of Parliament were suspended. In addition to the speeches already referred to, mention should be made of that by Sir R. A. Cross at Stockport (Nov. 21), where he repudiated more distinctly than any of his colleagues had hitherto done the idea of taxing the people's food, though he admitted there was fair ground for inquiry into the causes of our commercial depression; and of one by Mr. Chamberlain, at the Carpenters' Hall (Nov. 24), who put the case in a different and more hopeful light, regarding the temporary depression through which trade had been passing as over, and that the country was on the eve of an era of great prosperity, of full employment, and of fair wages. Two representatives so distinctly opposed as Mr. Dillwyn and Mr. Newdegate agreed in the absolute necessity of rendering Parliament efficient, and of strengthening the hands of the Government. The latter proposed to restrain the possible lessening of the prestige of the Lower House by improving the Upper House, leading to the creation of a considerable number of Life Peers.

It was scarcely to be supposed that, in face of the interest in the land question displayed by the landowners, the farmers would remain dumb. The rising feeling against the existing state of doubt and discouragement was manifested in numerous Chambers of Agriculture throughout the country, and resolutions were adopted

There is little more to be chronicled in the history of the year. Towards its close the Lord Mayor inaugurated two public subscriptions-one for the relief of ladies who had suffered from the nonpayment of Irish rents, and the other for the defence of property in Ireland. The scarcely veiled object of the latter was to provide means for counteracting the operations of the Land League in cases where Boycotting or other extreme measures had been resorted to. It was naturally felt by some that the existence of an organisation requiring private support was either a reproof to the Executive for not enforcing the law and maintaining peace, or else it ran the risk of provoking collision between two sections of the population. A somewhat animated correspondence between the Lord Mayor and Mr. Gladstone as to the attitude of the Government towards the Defence Association was published, and led many to hesitate before supporting a movement which, however charitable in its aims, might give rise to much grave misunderstanding in Ireland. The Mansion House Funds, however, were not abandoned, and that designed to assist the ladies in distress collected considerable funds.