IB 



tion. It was not carried, however, without the greatest difficulty, 

 and most strenuous opposition from the Radical party, and night 

 after night did Mr. Booth and I watch its course through the House 

 of Commons, opposed at every stage, and by whom ? By men hke 

 Mr. Chamberlain, Sir Charles Dilke, Mr. Mundella, and last, but 

 not least, by Mr. Barclay, who now poses himself before the country 

 as the farmers' friend. Gentlemen, before I leave this subject 

 let me for a moment allude to an article in a Scotch paper in which 

 the writer went out of his way to call in question the remarks of 

 my friend Mr. John Booth, who in referring to this question 

 during the recent election took occasion to say that the opposition 

 to the Bill was to be found in the Radical camp. The writer to- 

 whom I allude said that nobody knew better than Mr. John Booth 

 that this was not the case, that it was not a political question, but 

 one rather between borough and county. Gentlemen, if Mr. Booth 

 required anybody to corroborate his statement I am now here 

 to do so. You want no more convincing proof of the fallacy 

 of this theory than to have pointed out to you that one of the 

 most ardent supporters and promoters of the Bill was Mr. 

 George Elliot, the member for the borough of Northallerton — - 

 a fact which redounds to his credit, and is worthy of lasting 

 recollection by the farmers of this district. But you will not 

 now be surprised to hear me repeat that one of the most 

 determined opponents of the Bill was Mr. Barclay' the member 

 for the county of Forfar. Gentlemen, where credit is due there 

 let it be given. Many other matters of legislation might I refer 

 to as ha\ing been the work of the Conservative party, but time 

 will not permit me to do so ; but in justice to the present Liberal 

 Government I feel I must not ignore what they have done in the 

 way of legislation for the farming interest. Immediately after 

 coming into power in 1880, and in gratitude to the agricultural 

 constituencies that had, to their surprise, placed them in power, 

 they brought in two measures which they desired to serve as a sop 

 to the farmer. One of these was the 



HARES AND RABBITS BILL, 



and the other what is generally known as the repeal of the malt tax. 

 I never think of these two subjects without remembering an amusing 

 incident in connection with them. It so happened that I was 

 in the House of Commons on the evening that Mr. Gladstone intro- 

 duced his Bill for the repeal of the Malt Tax, and on the same 

 night the second reading of the Hares and Rabbits Bill was 

 moved by Sir William Harcourt. I well remember seeing him 

 rise in his place with that arrogant manner so peculiarly his 

 own, and using words somewhat to this effect : " The 10th 

 of June, 1880, will long be remembered by the British farmers as 

 the occasion upon which two Bills were discussed in this House 



