THE DIAMOND FIELDS. 147 



an undefined period from their responsibility for 

 political misdeeds; in many cases it must be a 

 fortunate thing for them. The memory of the 

 electorate is notoriously very short, and the lapse 

 of time affords ample opportunity for the conceal- 

 ment of evil deeds by very old-fashioned methods. 

 Be that as it may, I have thought that an exposure 

 of this great but little-known swindle may be of 

 interest as marking distinctly the period at 

 which the political degeneracy of Mr. Gladstone 

 commenced 



