his picture is included, as Mr. Gladstone on
Wednesday intimated might be the case, the total repeal of the
income-tax. The cabinet unanimously concurred, upon a review of
its grounds, in the wisdom of the proposed measure. It is as yet
profoundly secret, but to-morrow morning it will be placed before
the world with a lengthened and elaborate exposition, in the shape
of an address from Mr. Gladstone to his constituents at Greenwich.
There can be no doubt that a large portion of the public will at
first experience that emotion of surprise which your Majesty so
very naturally felt on receiving Mr. Gladstone's letter. But,
judging from such indications as have reached them, the cabinet
are disposed to anticipate that this course will be approved by
all those who are in any degree inclined to view their general
policy with sympathy or favour. Large portions, and the most
important portions, of Mr. Gladstone's address were read to and
considered by the cabinet, and it was in some respects amended at
the suggestion of his esteemed colleagues. It is, however, so
framed as not to commit them equally with himself, except only as
to the remissions of taxes and aid to local rates contemplated in
the finance of the year. This method of stating generally the case
of the government in substance corresponds to the proceedings of
Sir R. Peel in 1834-5, when he addressed the electors of Tamworth.
Before concluding, Mr. Gladstone will humbly offer to your Majesty
a brief explanation. When he last adverted to the duration of the
present parliament, his object was to remind your Majesty of the
extreme point to which that duration might extend. When he had the
honour of seeing your Majesty at Windsor,(302) the course of the
local elections had been more favourable, and Mr. Gladstone had
not abandoned the hope of retaining sufficient strength for the
due conduct of affairs in the present House. On this question, the
events of the last few weeks and the prospects of the present
moment have somewhat tended to turn the scale in his mind and that
of his colleagues.(303) But finally it was not within his power,
until the fourth quarter of the financial year had well begun, to
forecast the financial policy and measures which form a necessary
and indeed the most vital part of the matter to be stated to the
p