The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1868-05-12 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMON.

MONDAY. —So great waa the crowd at prayers that the
chaplain was irreverently hustled. As soon as they
could do so. Peers in numbers came buitily in; and
amongst them were observable two neophyte
members of the Upper House, Lord Fitswalter
Pate Sir Brooke Bridges) and Lord Kesteven (late Sir
John Trollope), who took their please as speet.tors in
the privileged seats of their order. The latter noble
lord was, however, compelled to make way for the
Priam of Wales, and had to Bad a more familiar plum
In the gallery within the House. Amongst the earlimt
Comers was Prinoe Chri.tian ; and altorether the scene
was commensurate with what might have been the real,
but what may be now said to be the factitious interest
of the occaaion. At his usual hour Mr. Disraeli
entered, thus dissipating rumours of his basing again
gone to Osborne which were prevalent ; and the
anpearanes of Mr. Hardy also set at nought some
• ' There wv.-

statements relating to hint.. . _
cheering on the advent of the Prime Minister;
but a louder greeting was given to Mr. Gladstone when
he entered later. In some *ay or other the preliminaries
were rarelly set aside, some amusement being caused
by Mr. Disraeli significantly asking Mr. Hadfield to
postpone • question which he would have had to arswer.
Immediately afterward.. the Prime Minister pres. riled
himself, and in • voice for the mud port low, but steady
and audible, and with • manner quiet but sustained.
began an elaborate retrospect of the history of the
Conservative Government( since 1+,66. He touched on
what he seemed to imply was the high-mindednem of
Do& Derby in not exercising his right to dissolve when
be came into office at that time; on the great feat—
Impossible to others—which that Governmeet bad per-
formed in pa-situr • Reform Illi expansive and sari..
fact try to everybody ; and, speakmg "with judicial
~wordy," he asserted that no act of Lord Derby's or his
own Gosetnnient had ever been impugned ; and this to
the evident (delight of the gentlemen about him. He
condescended then to very groat particulars in this
regard, and skilfully worked the point of Foreign policy,
as administered by Lord Stanley—• nee card with the
Houle—and ell this wa, aceompani•d by, suit were, a
trackl.ng of encouraging cheers. Then he talked of the
starting of • new policy, the Irish Church ; in the midst
of &delightful serenity, and despite of the existence of
a commission of inqu.ry—• policy which tended to all
kindn of dreadful conseqiienoe., culminating in the
destruction of the Royal Supremacy and the absorption
of the Church of England into that of Rome. It was
In a manner which may be deseribed as sailing smoothly
along that he made out his case for disregarding the two
votes with large majoritie, against the Government ; and
he took tglaasiOn to declare pragifively that in 1852 and
16.19 Lord Derby was urged, even by hi• opponent., not
to resign. The statement of this and much more from
like point if view was no long Old it wae•pparently
• relief when tie came to speak of the vote of
Thursday lad ; end there wan a alight cheer,
obviously of thankfulnese, when he began to tell the
story of hi• visit to Osborne, and of his basing
asked the Queen for authority to dissolve, and
wade the alternative offer of resignation, and how her
Majesty, altar • night's r fiectioo. declined to swept
the resignation, and gave him full lioeoce to disso've at
once, or to appeal to the new constituencies, as seemed
most judicious. Having, he said, then taken sage
counsel, and being advised that with a little manage•
meet an election with the new constituencies mighi take
place in time autumn, he 'ignited that, with or without
the leave of the House —but he hoped with the leave -
he toemit to stay in . thee onfli alter that occurrenoe.
Then be apologised to Mr. Gladstone, in really quite
friendly terms, for the 03i-spored...Mon about the
order of business for the evenum, which would not have
occurred if he heal been present; he would have given
i.e leader of the Opposition any evening for the second
and third [rich Resolutions, which, by-the-bye, he went
on to my, being mere corollaries to the Mat, must be
etrried ; and though he should give them • hearty nega-
tive, he did not care about their being debattil Jr
divided upon ; indeed, Mr. Gladstone might bring them
on any day be chose, however early. The conclusion of
his speech was somewhat ameekafaer, and his manner
seemed more smeared than when he began. It wd in •
tone of irony that Mr. Gladstone commented on the
panegyric* ;mood on the Government, and therefore on
biesself, by Mr. Disraeli; and he half ridiculed some of
that gentleman's assumptions as to the effect of the
Insh Resolutions on the Established Church in
England. He dintinctly and emphatically traversed the
position that every Government had an inherent right
of dissolution, the only precedents for which dootiine
were created by Mr. Disraeli himself ; and there was no
little sting In the remark that it had somehow happened
that wb Lord Derby appealed to the country his
Government was repudiated. The upshot of a keenly
edgiest speech was that Mr. Gladdone means to go on
straight to carry out his Irish Chur:h police at once, up
to the point of pegging a bill suspending the exercise
of any patronage in the Irish Church. This resolve
appeared to be fully endorsed by his followers, and it
ommed as if the discussion was about to dam, for Mr.,
Conolly was allowed to fame and fret &lead about
something not clearly discovered, and the House needy
'emptied. However, presently, Mr. Lowe slid into the
debate, sad, in • oornpartively few 'camases. set forth
that the whole Ministerial crisis was a joggle, for the
state of things was the same as before, except that Mr.
Disraeli had gone down to Osborne. only to return, and
to propose to treat the opinion of the Ho.,e as a nullity.
and to make an attempt to dispense with Pasliamentarr
Government. Notwithstanding the no:isles remarks of
Mr. Lowe, the diseaseion again lapsed to Mr. Meade-
gate. Mr. Arlon, and even down to Mr. Darby-
Griffith, when it was revived by Mr. Bright in a speech
which was based on a like argument as that of Mr.
Lowe, and was • distinct denunciation of the coarse of
the Government, given in his most unoomprontiaiog
and best illtntrated style. After awhile Mr. Disraeli
earns to reply, and was in a high•top-gallant vein,
retorting on Mr. Lowe and Mr. Bright with just ouch
an "airy audacity" as he attributed to the latter gentle-
man. He, however, distinctly stated that be had the
power and the will, if neocemery, immediately a 0
dis,olve ; but that he preferred acting on sound
adviee, and to arrange by special legislation to get
the new registrations over in such time as to have an.
election in November. For the rest, he simply dared
the Opposition to • vote of wont of confidence. He,
h°w••"*, eery graeiotrily offered this day, if it 000ld be
et. Or ntatatlay, for going on with the Irish liteolutions.
Thus ended the exposition of the Ministerial crisis, and
immediately afterwards • select audience was consider-
ing the Budget and the laying on of the twopenny
income-Ms ; and Mr. Gladstone was delivering •
pliilppio against the Misread of the public expenditure.
There ensued • dashing debate. The estimates were
assailed and defended, the Government retorting on the
who bad to do with the fluancee before
them that it was to supply their deficiencies that th
had been inereadd expenditure, Sir John Pak'
etoeren
and Mr. Ward Hunt being partied...ly comb,je'es" d
General Peel striking in to their aid. At lengths:Am
on,
additional ineome-tax was quietly laid and the
Budget was practically dispoed of, The rest of the
business was then galloped through.
TUVIDAT. —Mr. Gladstone with special
esrnsstnco
drew attention to the state of incertitude as to me
power of dissolution in which Mr. Disraeli, as he
alleged, had left the Howe. Founding himself upon
the singularly candid statement of the Duke of
Richmond in the Upper /louse on the previom evening,
Mr. Gladstone asked whether it was intended to ideally
that the Bootee to dissolve was applicable to all political
difficulties of the Government under any circumstances
—• mnse of resistance to which amomption be had
conveyed all through his speech. The Prime Minister
was apparently not quite prepared for this interroga•
tion, but be palpably endeavoured to show that he was
Dot aetually unready; for, assuming an air of candour,
be took a li.tle tinie in premising that there ought to
be no misunderstanding on that point; and then
having, during some roundabout talk, seemingly clown
the phew.* that suited bin., he dated that he had
recommended to her Majesty a "di.solutioo of Perlis-
ment as won as the state of public business would
permit." As to what the Duke of Richmond had said,
be knew nothing about it; aid anyone who wished to
eaorrtain what that noble duke Lad said ought to have
"applied to Aim for an explanation. This was said in •
rather dashing end defiant manner, and brought •
wet of applause from Ids followers. However, every-
body was not satlided with a somewhat mystical reply;
and so Mr. Beaver's, in his assumed character of
arbitrator of the Home, demanded, as authoritatively
po could, whether It was to the new constituencies or
to the old theta,. appeal was to be made. Mr. Card-
well solemnly adjured information as to whither
djaeolgylaa tree in Mani% aissaco, 17 Neal 1

which members held their seats at the will and
pleasure of the Prune Minister. Mr. Ayrton again
uplifted his voice emphatically against the House being
brought into equivocal relations with the Crown. Mr.
Osborne was pungent in the expression of his wish for •
di...lotion which would send the present vacillating
!loose packing, end was very portentous in an allusion
to. power behind the Throne which tendered noxious
advice to the Crown -the Earl of Derby being of course
understood. Mr. linesman was severely categorical in
his requirement of information, and other and minor
niembers intervened—all with more or lem pressure
for a defieite explanation of the &Ruction ; and the
crt.-Ori•ro was ended crucially by Mr. Lowe. At lame
Mr. Disrarli rose, and, after • 'little dallying, spoke
with rare distinctnes•, and said that him advice to her
Majesty Ai to the dissolution of Parliament wee coned
to the frith Church question alone, and that if
ddliculty arose on any other subject it would be his
duty to Ly the question before her Majesty. Though
the di-cuseion lingered • little while with Mr. Whalley
and Mr. Liddell, and of coulee was, so to speak,
trumped by Mr. Darby Orielth, it was then practically
ended, having been conducted with no little animation
and even excitement. The normal business of the
evening wan of small importance, and it was cut short
by • count out.
WEDNISDAT.—The second reading of the Mines
Auessment Bill was moved by Mr. Percy Wyndham,
who explained that it is proposed by this bill that all
mines should be assessed for the relief of the poor.
After sortie discussion, in which exception was taken
to many of the details of the measure, the bill was
read a eecond time. The second reading of the Divorce
and Matrimonial Causes Court Bill, which is
Intended to shorten the delays which now take
plate in the business of this court, was read •
second time.

THURSDAY. There woo movement, though not
exactly excitement, in the Home, and there being little
or nothing preliminary to the lib& Chuich resolutions
they were called on early. The only interception which
occurred we.. question put, with much simplicity, by
Mr. Verner to Mr. Gladstone, whether, alter the
opinions expremed at the Clitueli meeting on the previous
clay, be meant to pram his resolutions. Of column the
Opposition laughed this to worn, and Mr. Gladstone
gave no answer until after the House had got into com-
mittee, when he said that, with all respect to those who
composed that meeting, it would not influence him at
all. Then, in calm and buainese-like phrase and
he expounded his second resolution, and Mr. Hardy, on
the put of the Government, advimd that it shoals not
be debated; so after the perfunctory interposition of
Mr. Newdegate arid Mr. Whalley, with • very week
"No' from the Conservatives, it wee canted amidst

1
th-e"-sho;iii—ol the Opposition. The introduction of the
third resolution by Mr. Gladstone was still more brief;
and Mr. Lelrny baying uttered • few plaintive words,
and Mr. Darby Griffith having been howled down,
, though Mr. Disraeli did say in reply to him that when
I the address to the Crown was carried the Government
Iwould consider the answer to be given, it was agreed to
i practically unuppoaed. With the prolonged my f
I gratulariogia from the Opposition it might have be:n
I supposed that the subject would have ended, especially
as Mr. Laing withdrew his ling-standing amendment;
but there lurked on the paper en element out of which
came one of the most &mordant &coned which has
occurred for BOWS time in the House. For Mr. Aytoun,
the member for Kirkcaldy. brought on a resolution
which asked • pledge that the grant to Maynooth
and the Belgium Donum should be discontinued, and
more, that none of the secularised funds of the
Anglican Church should be applied in any way to
Roman Catholic purpose. Almost at once eoefuaiou
arose; half-a-di ten members urged that the Committee
was inoompeten to deal with this question, it being
Irrelevant and inoonssqueint on the original resolutions.
The Chairman, however, decnied that, by a little strain.
ing, Mr. Aytoun's tuolution might be considered; and
so the discussion went on, Mr. Bright strongly opposing
the motion, and Mr. Gladstone, with something more
than emphasis, taking • like course. The House had
become hot and excited, and very noisy indeed, when it
I was cat Into • more of convulsion by • quaint •z premien
I of opinion by Mr. John Hardy that there had better be
a division aa one resolution was as good es another.
n, n Mr. Cogan, in a strain of mixed grief and indigna.
tion, protested against a coarse which MIS potting the
Liberal party into a state of discord. The irritability
—for it was quite that—which had prevailed was
probably aggravated by the fact that Mr. Newdegate
spoke four times,and Mr. Darby Gtiffith was always try-
leg to strike in. Presently Mr. Whitbread moved that the
resolution be confined to it. first sentence, affirming the
diaendowment of Maynooth and the diseontinuaroe
of the Regium Denton. This .1,1 rather generally
accepted, but the row went on fast and furious. In
vain did Mr. Clay uplift his arbitrating voice, in vain
lii Mr. A ytoun offer to modify his resolution—nothing
would do but a rush to • division. Instantly there was
a stampede from .he Government benches, Sir James
Fergusenn bring almost the only one left there, and on
a WOW the amendment was carried by IPS to 85. More
cheers—more noise—more ennfasion—amidst which Mr.
Lamont moved an • Idision to the amendment, which
was merely • counterpart of that portion of the motion
which had been negatived; so it was sommarily rejected
by the Chairman. A proeo.l of Mr. Gladstone to add I
words saving existing rights at klaynooth and under the
R ilium Donnm was being tslked about confusedly and
inconsequentislly, when Mr. Ayrton, in h.' softly
sarcutie manner, observed ou the absence of Ministers
from the House, and suggested that, if there had been
the advantage of the guidance of its responsible leader
matters might not have been so discreditably disorderly.
Anorher intsrlude of Mr. Newdegate, who was im-
petuously rebuked for some •asertion he made by Mr.
Stuart Mill; and then Mr. Disraeli, having just owns
in, replied to Mr. Ayrtron's sneer, on the ground that
I even a leader of the Hoses might be influeneed by
moderation and even modesty not to speak on every
topic—an allusion which erases...ly wombs en and *aimed
a laugh at Mr. Ayrton's expenee. Mr. Disraeli was
not so successful when lie went on to talk about Mr.
Ayrton's better management if be becomes leader of the
House, and, apparently a little nettled by the failure,
he broke out into • scornful exclamation that his
anticip sr inns 1.1 been realised, as the supporters of Mr.
Gls taunt's Irish Church policy were already quarrelliog
about its plundrr. Ti this Mr. Gladstone replied ie.
bukingly ; and then, with something like "chaff,' the
resolution as amended baying been agreed to, the
iraacible Mr. Greene intervened with an impracticable
amendment; and bow exactly it came about it WWI not
very easy to understand, but in • short time Sir Stafford
Northsote and Mr. Glsdatone, Sir George Grey and
Mr. Disraeli, were engaged in what may be called
personal encounters, retorts, repartee*, contradictions,
and sarcasms dying across the table Oak as hail.
Though there was anon • lull, yet the disputation still
went on, having already lasted several hours. At last,
apparently from exhaustion, and impelled by a final
dose of Mr. Newilexat• and Walley.a division was taken
on Mr. Greene's motion—that the funds of the Anglican
Church should go to nobody whatever. Another phase
of confusion then arose ; for Mr. Holden, not having
heard the question pot, bed declined to vote, and was
brought up in custody to the table and reported, upon
which he was ordered to his seat,and, to the great arouse-
, meet of the House, the question was formally repeated
to him, and he elected to vote with th• "ayes." The
amendment of Mr. Greene being rejected by 132 to 9/,the
anornded and reamanded finit section of the original
resolution was carried. The Irish resolution were About
to be ordered as reported, amidst tumultuous applause
from the Opposition, when Mr. Diiraeli rose, and
apparently with all the emphasis of anger said that it
might be noted, from what had occurred, that the
course which had been taken in regard to Irish policy
could only end in confusion. A burst of indignant
repudiating cheers followed this singular development
of leadership . • and Mr. Height, as if scandalised, broke
out into astornful rebuke, which roes higher as he went
on, until his last words were literally scathing. As Lord
John Meaner" has • Went for 'molding, be was put up
to reply, and did so in his best—which might be
thought a wry bad—meaner. Then Mr. Gladstone,
meing with Mr. Bright, uttered burning words of retort.
Then Mr. Disraeli •rejoined, undoubtedly with great
spirit and animation. With the report of the resolu-
tions concluded perhaps the most Prolonged and firrcest I
personal debate which has been witnessed by the present
generation. The Irish Reform Bill, which followed,
was practically unopposed on its second reading, though
it was fully discussed, and innumerable changes
threatened I. r committee. . - ..

FILID•T. —Reaction ass decidedly preseot in the
Tht re vas but a scant sttendrinee. snd a
vari.-ty of topics were languidly discussed, but none
were of spodal interest.