The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-02-24 00:00:00

THE DEBATE ON THE ADDRESS,

we debate on the Address was resumed by ?Jr. Gorst,
Z...blovad the following amendment to the Address :7
eila.L.Lui we venture to express our earnest hope that thh
iftuur of palsy whlsh has produced these results
maintained, and that no further attempts Will

be made to purchase the support of persons dia.
affected to Her Majesty's rule by concessions to
lawless agitators; and that the existence of dangerous
secret societies in Dublin and bther parts of the oountry
will continue to receive unremitting energy and vigi-
lance on the part of the Executive" Pointing out that
the amendment WRS not necessarily unfriendly to the
Government, as it expressed confidence in them it they pur-
sued a certain course, the hon. member proceeded to prove
that there had been a change in the tiovemment policy, and
to explain its reasons.
Sir W. Harcourt, after some preliminary observations,
called upon the Opposition to declare whether it was in-
tended or not as a Vote of Censure on Ministers. If that was
their intention, why, he asked, had they not the courage to
say so. Did the front Opposition Bench consider them-
selves entitled to support a Vote of Censure by shelter-
ing themselves behind this Amendment to the Address?
Was it possible that, at such a critical moment,
they had no other object than to snatch a miser-
able triumph in condemning a Government whose
actions they said they approved, by going back to bygone
transactions which they had not challenged at the time.
Their duty was to condemn or support ; if they thought they
could take upon themselves the burden of responsibility,
and discharge the task of Government more for the advan-
tage of the country, they should say so, and frankly accept
the responsibility. That was the course he now invited them
to take; and if they did not take it, they were doing the
most injurious thing in their power by keeping in office an
Administration which they were, at the same time, endea-
vouring to weaken 'and discredit.
- •- • -- • -

Mr. Gibson in a speech of some length vindicated the
Amendment, as containing a true statement of plain facts
in the history of Ireland during the past year, and an exhor-
tation to avoid a path which was now universally condemned,
and to follow one which the Government themselves said was
a wise one to pursue.

The debate was continued by Mr. Warton, Colonel Nolan,
Mr. T. D. Sullivan, Mr. Tomlinson, Mr. S. Wortley, Mr.
Bulwer, and Mr. L. Stanley.
After some observations from Lord Lymington, Lord R.
Churchill spoke in support of the Amendment, which he
contended did not mean that no legislation for Ireland was
necessary except that of a coercive character. Its real
object was not so much to attack the Government for the
past as to obtain a guarantee for the future.

Mr. Goschen described the Amendment as intended to
bring up the transactions of the past in order to throw
odium upon the Government, and certainly to increase the
difficulties which they had to confront in Ireland. He
regretted that the Conservative Party should think it right
to embarrass the Government by supporting a Motion the
object of which could only be to attack the Government,
and thereby weaken its forces, at a moment when it was
most important that it should be strong and firm.

On the motion of Sir H. Maxwell the deb de was again ad-
journed.
The House was counted out at halt-past twelve.

DISTRESS IN THE HIGHLANDS.

In the HOTTSI or COMMONS, Feb. 21, the Marquis of
Hartington moved that the Orders of the Day for the second
reading of the Marriage with a Deceased Wife's Sister Bill,
the Sale of Intoxicating Liquors (Ireland) Bill, the Notices
of Removal (Scotland) Bill, and the Seed Advances (Scot-
land) Bill, be postponed until after the order for the ad-
journed debate on the Address to the Crown.
Dr. Cameron wishes to say a few words with regard to the
postponement of the Seed Advances (Scotland) Bill. That
Bill proposed to give assistance to the small tenants of Scot-
land, who were in a state of considerable destitution. It was
evident that anything intended to remedy that state of
matters must be done at once ; and what he wanted to ask
the noble Marquis was, whether he would use his influence
with his colleagues, in order that they might obtain official
information as to the real state of affairs in the highlands
of Scotland (hear, hear). The existence of distress there
was a matter of notoriety; every Scotch newspaper was
full of descriptions of it. Subscriptions in relief of the
distressed people had been opened by the magistrates of
Edinburgh and Glasgow, and he believed a similar move-
ment had taken place in London; and yet he understood
Her Majesty's Government were without any official infernra-
tion on the subject. Be did not want to discuss the Bill
now, or unduly to trespass on the time of tho Hence; but
lee theught that in a matter of this great urgency it was very
desirable that the Government should take immediate steps
to obtain official information, which weuld guide them as to
their course of action. (Hear, hear.)
Lord Hartington could only say, in reply to the hon. mem-
ber, that he would place himself in communication with the
Home Secretary and the Lord Advoc.de. lie was not aware
what information they had, but he would see whether it was
possible to make any communication to the House, or to his
hon. friend on the subject.

The Debate on the Address was resumed by Sir H. Max-
well ; and was continued by Mr. W. O'Brien, Mr. Macliver,
Sir John Hay, Mr. O'Donnell, Mr. Nortboote, Mr. G. Russell,
Mr. Plunkett, Mr. J. Collings, and the Attorney-General for
Ireland.
On the motion of Mr. J. Lowther, the debate was again
adjourned.
The House adjourned at ten minutes to six o'clock.