The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-03-22 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

FXTRAORDINARY SITTING OF THE
HOUSE OF COMMONS.

For the purpose of considering the remaining
Supplementary Estimates for the Civil Service in
Committee of Supply, the House of Commons held a
special sitting at noon on Saturday, which was pro-
longed until 'a quarter to six o'clock on Sunday
morning. The Speaker took the chair at twenty
minutes past twelve. On the motion to go into Coin-
mittee of Supply, Mr. Ashmead Bartlett rose and
called attention to "the abandonment of Khartoum,"
Which he condemned in a long and discursive speech.
Mr. Labouchere attacked the Government from the
opposite point of view, protesting against military
operations in the Soudan, past, present, and contingent.
He moved a resolution declaring that the necessity
for the recent battles in the Soudan had not been
shown by the Government. Mr. Henry Richard pro-
tested against the horrible butcheries going on in the
Soudan, which in his opinion were "wholly without
adequate justification.' Lord Edmond Fitzmaurice
replied, chiefly to Mr. Ashmead Bartlett, Mr. Bourke,
who rose next, complaining that his speech did not
contain a scrap of information on the points on which
the House desired information. Mr. Cowen defended
the Opposition, whose policy Mr. Richard had criti-
cised. Their course, he said, bail been intelligible
and consistent from the first. The hon. gentleman
proceeded to deliver a bitter attack upon the Govern-
ment, which was loudly cheered from the Conserva-
tive Benches, whither members flocked when it was
known that the hon. member for Newcastle was
addressing the House.
Lord Randolph Churchill reiterated the demand
that before the vote on account of the mission of
General Gordon was agreed to the Government should
state what had been the actions of General Gordon
up to the previous Thursday, and how far he had
carried out his plans. Sir Charles Mice vainly re-
minded the Opposition that the business of the after-
noon had been fixed not with a view to fresh debate
and repetition of speech-making on affairs in Egypt,
but for dealing with Supply, and, if necessary, with
the notices of amendment which prefixed it.
The House was now beginning to grow impatient
for a division. The discussion was prolonged by Mr.
O'Donnell, Mr. W. Fowler, Mr. J. Morley, Sir M. H.
Beach, and Mr. Bryce. Sir S. Northcote repeated the
demand for information. Lord Hartington said this
was a demand that might be pressed too far. How-
ever violent might be the appeals, he could assure the
House that any statement of policy, or any informa-
tion which the Government thought would be injurious
to those great interests they were endeavouring to secure
under difficult circumstances, should not be drawn from
him. "If," he added, amid loud cheers from the
Liberal benches, "you insist on knowing that which we
are unable consistently with our duty to make known,
you are taking a course which deprives us of the con-
fidence of the House of Commons, and makes it im-
possible for us to carry on the business of the
country."
When Lord Hartington resumed his seat the divi-
sion was at once taken. Lord R. Grosvenor and Lord
Kensington, acting as tellers for the Government,
while Mr. Richard told si ith Mr. Labouchere for the
resolution moved as an amendment to the motion to
go into committee. Sir S. Northcote, Sir M. Hicks
Beach, and the whole of the Opposition present,
supported Mr. Labouchere, as did also Mr.
Parnell and a number of his followers, and.
Mr. J. Morley, Mr. J. Cowen, Sir G. Camp-
bell, Sir W. Lawson, and Mr. P. Edwards,
Liberals. The last member emerged from each lobby
at the same moment, showing the division was an
exceedingly close one, but all doubt as to the result
was set at rest when Lord R. Grosvenor was seen
with the paper containing the numbers, and a tremen-
dous Liberal cheer arose. When at last silence was
restored, and the numbers were road out, it appeared
that Mr. Labouchere had been supported by 94 and
the Government by 111 hon. members, or a majority
of 17 for the Ministry.
When the Opposition heard how narrow the
majority was they began to cheer; the Ministerial
party replied, and the two sides cheered one at the
other for some minutes. Sir M. Hicks Beach was
then seen to be standing at the table, and when the
noise had subsided he complained that the Home
Secretary had just remarked to a friend that the
"dirty trick had not succeeded." The complaint
was met with a burst of Ministerial applause. The
Speaker said the expression would be out of order if
used publicly in debate, butddrew a distinction between
that and private conversation. Sir W. Harcourt
said he should never have thought of using words of
that character in debate, but as to the expression of
his own private opinion to his own friends upon a
transaction of such a character he held himself free.
Sir S. Northcote maintained that it was understood
the day would be set apart for a discussion on the
Egyptian policy of the Government, and as to the
observation of the Home Secretary it gave great pain
to him and to those that sat on that side of the House,
and the accusation conveyed was absolute' i. untenable.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer gave his view of
the understanding arrived at, which was in con-
travention of the understanding of the Leader of the
Opposition, and said the suggestion was never made
that wha was practically a vote of want of confidence
would be brought forward that day. Sir W. Harcourt
then explained that howewer much they might enter
into conflict in political contest it had not been and
was not his intention to give pain, that he certainly
did not think the language would have reached the
ears of the right hon. gentleman, and as it had been
regarded as offensive he regretted that it had done so.
After a little further conversation the Speaker
called upon Mr. O'Brien, who had the next place on
the paper with reference to certain proceedings of
Captain Plunket, an Irish police magistrate; and after i
a long discussion, and a division, n which fifteen
opposed the motion to go into Committee, and 57
voted in favour of it, the House went into Committee
and took up the business of the day. Further talk
was chiefly confined to the Irish members, and at
three o'clock Mr. Biggar came prominently to the
front with a violent attack on Earl Spencer and "his
confederates, those disreputable persons," the resident
magistrates, who were, hadded, bankrupt in character
and in pocket. Interrupted by the Chairman, Mr.
Biggar moved a count, when between fifty and sixty
members flocked in.
At five o'clock the monotony and dulness were
varied by another scene. Mr. Healy, taking a long
look ahead, was threatening to obstruct the Appropria-
tion Bill when it came on in August. "We have no
birds to shoot," he said; whereupon Mr. Lyulph
Stanley observed .sotto voce, "Landlords !" The re-
mark was made in so low a tone that it did not reach
Mr. Healy, who was proceeding with his remarks,
when Mr. Sexton called his attentioa to it. Mr. Healy
appealed to the Chairman on the point of order. Sir
hde to Speaker A. Otway aid he did n opati
nnui
odnnedceolrifsnt ate nd that the word
had been used in debate, and that he could say nothing
about it if it were merely a remark to a fellow member.
Mr. Healy proposed that the chairman should leave
dhhee ch, a arstthaeis leader of the House for the
rmO
shouldse
bt:ehe
m i7ch hask b e M
r. Cnd
e tnii
re; g, a
b ruht tl
arked would be quite u dporpet a u
e core
dented.
M ncheixmcietersdlwyoniasdkendlloifw he were
his
understandaly s
tthuheartemrpo.
followers to make a charge of that kind against Irish
members without saying a word of condemnation.
i lie
The Chancellor of the Exchequer rejoined with spirit
that he was not going to be browbeaten by language of
that kind, that he had spoken temperately to show
that the chairman's ruling accorded with that of the
Speaker, that it was not his duty to make any repre-
sentation to hon. members, but merely to act upon
the Chairman's ruling when it was given. A few
minutes later Mr. L. Stanley rose, admitted the use
of the word, expressed regret, and unequivocally
withdrew it. The discussion of the vote was then
continued for about another half-hour, when the
division was taken, and the vote carried by 59 to 7.
The passing of the vote concluded the special busi-
ness of the sitting, and the Speaker then returned to
the chair amid a vociferous cheer from the Irish
members, only to at once adjourn the House, which
result was consummated at a quarter to six on Sun-
day morning, as day was breaking, and the birds
singing in the quiet streets and gardens of West-
minster.