[Sidenote: Mr. Balfour.]

The Leader of the Opposition had not, so far, shone in his new position,
and people were not slow in coming to the conclusion that he required
the stimulus and the strength of a solid majority behind him to bring
out his peculiar talents. At all events, his first speech following the
introduction of the Home Rule Bill was a ghastly failure. It was
listened to in almost unbroken silence from the beginning to the
end--not that the speech had not plenty of cleverness in it, the 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.