THE NEW POLITICAL CATECHISM.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume X, Issue 1158, 25 September 1882, Page 2

THE NEW POLITICAL CATECHISM.

Q. What is Cyprus ? A. “ A strong place of fiddlesticks. (See Sir William Harcourt's Oxford speech, 12th January 1882. It is also a " worthless military station, and its military advantages were from, the first, upon the face of them, absurd'” (See Mr Gladstone,“ Nineteenth Century,” September 1878, and August, 1879.) Q: Why does Mr Gladstone send troops to an absurd, worthless, place of of fiddlesticks ? A. Because three years make such a wonderful difference. Q. What is obstruction ? A. “ It is not necessarily an outrage, an offence, or even an indiscretion." (See Mr Gladstone, “ Nineteenth Century," August, 1879.) Q. Why are 16 men deprived of their rights for doing something which is not an outrage, an offence, or even an indiscretion ? A. Because “ the keenest advoeato of penal measures against the Irish members may be led to pause,” if he considers that the obstructor, by his tenacity, has been enabled to modify the action of the Government.:: (See Mr Gladstone, “Nineteenth Century,*’ August, 1876.” Q. What terms should we apply to the act of bringing Indian troops through the canal ? A. “It is a plain and egregious breach of law.” (See Mr Gladstone's speech in " Times,” May 28, 1878.) Q. Why are Indian troops coming to Egypt now ? A. Because when saints employ the benighted Musselmeu in works of righteousness the case differs from the action of sinners. Q. Give some short rules of conduct for a saintly statesman, A. May nothing true ; Try all things now ; Pray till all’s blue ; Put on the screw ; Make Tories rue ; Whatever they do ; Bully foryou,” — Vanity Fair.