The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1880-06-29 00:00:00

THE BRIDPORT BORE.

s„rnething will have to be done with the active and
r Warton. His activity, which ranges
loTeruietbieeee hi.
whnle field of politics and surveys mankind
ft in Chins to Peru, might be pardoned. There is no
rearon why a new member who has not yet learnt the
miss of. the House should out put down on the Panne
seen of censure on the Government for a policy they
,e not initistra
iwinejnese e
h not liseoewler directed to securing a reform of the
jses-of guardians and wards. Mr. Warton may have
in easy notices about eveuthing in general as Mr.
lbelver has abont reciprodty. 'Choy amuse the two
embers concerned and hurt nobody. But, like Mr.
Malver, Mr. Warton should always fail to get heard.
His lopui ity is intolersble. At midnight on Friday
evening, when the debate on local option had finished,
he whi has m .de • speech every day for a month
insisted on airing some perfectly familiar arguments
ins House wearied with work and tired of Aims. If
he were a poet, philosopher, statesman, orator, and
wit all in on-, he would not be listened to. But he
ha. • hod inaon. r, a bad vole., and nothing to soy.
Even Mr. Parnell won lers at Mr. Warton's im-
roodeety ; and there will be a mysterious disappearance
one ef these days it Sir. Warton goes on.— Western
Merain9 News.
Si the debste was at an end, to everybody's satis-
faction, and all gladly prepared to stretch cramped
limbo. by a walk through the lobbies. Who said,
"Stop a moment "1 Was it, could it be Mr. Warton
Yes! There was no mistaking that thin penetrating
'"ice; and there he was standing high up on the
epposition side, buttoned to the chin, holding his
hands behind him, and enggeeting a vague resemblance
to the etatue of a military hero in Trafalgar square.
A prolonged liewl went up from the moving ranks (of
the Nlinisterial.ets. Mi. Wootton gently emiled, bowed
slightly, coughed ipiietly, and fishing a box out of his
freckcoat tail-pocket, complacently took a pinch of
snuff. Groans avended from the depths of the
Liberal party. Mr. Wartson closed his snuff•box
triumphantly, restored it to his pocket, arranged his
skirts eyaninetrically with some deliberation, cleared
his throat, and began. "Sir," he said abruptly, "0,
0! " cried the Liberal's " Yah, vah ! " retorted
Alderman Fowler, glowins with gratification. "Mr.
Speaker! "cried Mr. Warton; but his shrill treble was
instantly overwhelmed I.y in storm of intermittent
gnome, amidst which could be heard at intervals, and
is in stniggling gusts., the sound of " Yah, yah, yah,
yah. yah ! " Mr. W irton Looked upon his tormentors
with pity, and, elevating hi. eyebrow,u and lowering
hi. tones, slowly and softly remarked, "Minter
Speaka!" A burnt of shrieks swept down upon him, I
but he bore up manfully, and inanaged to gasp
'Sir!" bonder the tempest howled around him, and
again he paused to gather breath. "0, 0, " cried
the Liberals; " Yoh. y.oh, yoh !" reeponded the
.thlennan, slightly changing his note, but calling out
with undiminished pleasure and philanthropy. Mr.
Walton, rec.overing, fiercely shook his head, and
shouted in etentorian tones "Sur ! " But a big wave
of imposing pound dashed over him, and no inure was
known of him for several seconds, although the 'sturdy
Alderman continued to exclaim with utmost jollity,
" Yoh, yob, yoh ! " Five minutes went by, and Mr.
Warten had made no progress. At last, girding up
his loins for a supreme effort, and raising his voice to
its extreme pitch, lie contrive.' to jerk a few bmken
pieces of sentences into the tumult of sound kept up by
the Nlinisterialiste. " Important question, sah !" he
declared; and the Liberals deeply groaned. "Momen-
tous onuequences," added Mr. Warton; and they
groaned yet more solemnly. "I cannot understand
the niesning Ilf there noises," said the hon. member,
actually finishing a sentence ; and the Heine cheered
hoc. "They will not produce the slightest effect
upon me," he stated, etiffiy ;denting his legs apart,
fol.fing his Inns, and glanng at the Nlinisterialists.
They renewed their disturbance, and it swelled to
more than the uproar ..f a country fair, with its din of
Mal shows competing brazen instruments, opposing
druno, and resounding gown, the voice of Mr. IVarton
breaking in upon the turmoil in short sharp shouts, as
if he were an imperative exhibitor commanding the
stunned public to "Walk up, balk up!" Mr. Hall,
having gone upstairs to console a dieting uished
licensed nictualler in the diplomatic gallery surveyed
the scene with aetonishment. Messrs. Jacob Brighti
Ceurtney, and Norwood looked on from the Peers
Godbry. A slim young gentleman in evening dress,
reliesed by a white waistcoat, and who was nearly
strangled by his tightly-fitting collar, stared in wonder-
ment over Mr. Fender's head from the thick of the
throng M the bar. Nit.. Gladstone passed the time in
writing, and the other Ministers upon the Treasury
bench confabulated seriously. Mr. Montagu
seated just below the spot where Mr. Warton stood
wrinkling his brows and glancing defiance, took
counsel with Sir Robert Carden, and the two held
!repent eminences with their neighbours. Still Mr.
werten stood firm. At the expiration of ten minutes,
groaning being pronounced wearisomeand monotonous,
the inajerity vented their emotions in hollow and
lW.trocted moans. Mr. Warton acknowledged the
c
brow, Placed his hand in his bosom and gazed blandly
Waiter
up.n Sir John Mowbray, Mr. Floyee, and Sir
Waher liarttelot, as if inviting them to observe his
attitwie and take particular notice of what was to
come. Gradually a lull occurred, the swirling tempest
subsiding into a universal sigh. Mr. Warton ed,
and, suddenly plucking forth his hand, pointed
menacingly at the Liberals, and warned them to be
reseenable. Immediately the uproar revived in full
vigour ; but it was discovered that the Alderman had
retlred from the vocal contest. " Hear one point Iw
cried 11r. 11'artson. "N,), no !" they roared. "One
point screamed the hon. member, leaning forward
sal
It sa' with neck outAtretched—" one point—at a time !"
no use; they grew noisier than ever. An hon.
Dwrenian nee near him to tender some advice;
!'ne.Teulsei the indignant Nlinisterialiste raised a
temfic clamour, And the uld ba r vanished.
5.i IblaNdlu6
r.lli'arrt.:n. outpeofronre ansome secret'
x handkerchief of enormous size, and
New
.1,64 d etenuluatlow end disdain. Laughter
!tingled with the tremendous and continued of
llini,le!" and as Mr. Warton bent down to catch Mr.
moovot,rtets zigeettion that he would do well to addrens the
' gallery, the Liberals assailed him with
sh.outs .of "Order!" and " Chair chair,
alr Mr. Warton had been on his legs 14 'minute;
when the Speaker interposed to check this private
cii.adnivetzafthusoen. Warton'e apologies wen! prompt
e resumed his erect posture, and,
14164- acme acmes his boeom, faced the
witheringnk
ing.
with his head furiously, and jerking out
..
sarcasm bitter comments on Liberal
tx6you.nty.t,_Twenty minutes had enabled Mr. Gladstone
_ firongh all his correspon.lence, and he sat
.aating with his hand shading his eyes. His party,
DAMN; skill by practice, steady volit f now contrived to keep up a
lue .. deafening and bewildering sound with
"alawativel Valton wlittle effort, and it was seen that Mr.
nesarguing the matter out with himself. His
irit'ortL
that he and his intense gravity
impressive was delivering an oration of a highly
I._Character. but not a single word of it could
fv,,sea y anyb.ly except Mr. Nlontagu Scott,
;zoperi:nrictoadulyuovierturee__
„.Mr. Warton, grown wise by
t-rancleur ignoras as he pursued in solitary
r.
.. is l..fty theme. During 22 minutes the
flit had, . been in incessant commotion, fruitlessly
ht impress Mr. Warton. He dominated the
. incensed assembly in virtue of stern
h7tvo,lead conscious superiority. He peeseel, and a
ee7nxexthectia,tion fell upon the House. Mr. Warton
an instant hat he
i
e _tad reached his "second point."
mein ;but accumulated
iuse was silent in sheer amaze-
anger rushed out n a whirlwind
welensticid,_in2aWsti,hfe force and fu., that Mr. Warton
of ,e,,,
unt l it, and a dreadful crash pruclaimed

,riclPort bids fair to revive the zoitularlt7 It
.cuuned during the reign of Henry VIII., when the
1,500 tons of hemp and flax worked up annually Into
luth and cordage, were so much in repute that
that unstable monarch " Bluff King Hal," ordered the
;hole of the hempen requisitiee for the navy of
,4411.114 d to be made exclusively here, But It is not
ai reason of its " good daggers" (though ll°°d they
Yet that the e '
u town of BridPnrt has male
developed into populanty ; but by reason of its
Cllkl Tory representative in the House of Commons.
'sort, strongly•built man (Oesmer, 30th inst.), is
"oft all in his power to emblason the "Important"
t"talltw_nencv he represents, with all that clamour,
-.1%, and presumption, the true of true
when It la raised freni the liti; to the

--
Evidently, from the lively description given of the
member for Bridport, Mr. Warton yet adorns himself
with tbciee inevitable check unmentionables, about
which so many tales were attest during the election,
and the same pocket-handkerchief and snuff-box which
figured as prominently, when the owner made the
wonderful disoovery that he was contesting a borough,
at once important, rel4ions, and intelligent. Whether
the pocket-handkerchief which attracts the notice of
the Observer and parboils the" House" is the identical,
and peculiar, article which dangled from the
candidate's pocket during the promo of canvassing' it
would be difficult to determine ; but tb• reel deeevin•
lion of that Oriental-looking fabric, contained in tfie
Obeerver, leads one to believe it to be the self-same
article.

How the little maid of all work down in the suburbs
would stare, if to her were granted the same privilege
In which UM' Gamp and Aunt Tomer rejoice—
admission to the strangers' gallery.—" Why I Lexica •
me, gov'nrs got a seat in tfie 'Ouse, sly dewg, never
said a word to me about it. Lswr, I shall strike for
more tin." Perhaps the elsvey's surprise would
Include • pious rejoinder similar to that et the
" gov'nr," who, discovering upon the counting of the
votes, he was elected, dropped his ponderous snuff-box
on the council table, and- with a bleached counten-
ance ejaculated—" Thank God, les is by Rine."
The Bridport ConservaUves are fait losing faith in
the loquacious individual they raised from the
obscurity of Clapham, and in whom they place the
most unbounded confidence. The poor man however,
appears to feel as a child breeched for the first time
•so elated with his altered condition that he knows not
how to adapt himself te it. They scarcely bargained
that their pet would so soon be an object of disgust in
the eyes of all intelligent and reasonable members,
that in the infancy of his political career his presence
and behaviour at that august assemblage would be met
with marked disapprobation and scorn. The
Conservatives nursed the idea that their candidate was
possessed of supereminent abilities and rare political
tact ; and truly he is giving an earnest of the kind of
common sense his deluded supporters gave him credit
for. When • man indulges in that unseemly and
ungraceful asperity which may add lustre to an east-
end as
saloon, it is, and ever will be the means of
bringing down upon such an one the just censure of all
reasonable men. If Mr. Warton does not know the
respect due to the House, he must be enlightened anent
It by his superiors, and it he refuse, must expect the
cold shoulder. What would be the oondition of the
country if every member, instead of dealing
consistently with the momentous questions of the day,
were to, d La sods Mr. .Warton, act in his broad.
farcical style 1 The political character and consistency
of public men are of great national importance, and it
I. mach to be regretted that any man In a responsible
position should so act as to bring down upon himself
the richly deserved reproach and disgust of all reflect-
ing and consistent men.

Hs& it ever occurred to those voters who talk so
ridiculously about our late " silent " Liberal members
and extol the " popularity " the borough has secured
on account of the bombastic nothings which are a
subject for ridicule throughout the country, that the
worth " popularity " and " notoriety " may imply a
totally dWerent meaning I for they are not always
accepted as synonymous terms. Let such reflect that
the late Liberal members for Bridport knew how to
respect and observe decorum, that they sat on the right
side of the "House," that side which supports and
makes Liberal laws, and that if they did not often
taxa-rapt parlous proceedings, they at any rate voted
for and supported those measures to which they
pledged themselves; and last, not least, some of those
grumblers might in all fairness reflect that the bestowal
of charity by those they have lost has assisted to raise
some of those very men to the pinnacle from which
they look down and murmur.

Much has lately been said, and • great deal sur-
mised, touching the next municipal election. I was
reading, a few days since, an epistle in one of the
locals, the writer of which had his say anent this
bnportant matter. In his letter the writer styles him-
self "A Working Man." I don't deny that he is; but I
fancy I detect the handiwork of one who does not
trouble work over much, and who, if report speaks
correctly, is a valuable man in • not far distant leader-
writing department. The letter is certainly not
worded in his usual flowery and sentimental style;
but the garb of simplicity very often becomes his
person admirably, that is when he is not " shakey "
At any rate the writer (or his dictator), if his senti-
meow are credvida, sees is double danger in "the
return of Liberal member. to the Council." I really
all to see that the Liberal members of the Council
and there is a good majority of them) are sluttr, and
I doubt if they feel so. On the contrary I shoulel
imagine one or two of the Tories, who waisted to cram
the working man with the I:1,000 and similar dodges,
will have to look to their laurels. The Liberals have
only been caught napping once in 40 years, but if they
are again caught so soon after the Tories have laughed
in their sleeves at them, the fault will be their own.

Somebody suggested to me, Mr. Editor, that the
jury-box in the Town-hall has now become useless,
and had better be sent to the House of Commons for
the accommodation of Mr. O'Donnell and Mr. WartAin,
as the latter, when he flourishes his dust-box and
handkerchief so assiduously, could annoy nobody else
but his fellow obstructionist. Seriously, the presence
of the jury-box in the County Court, to judge from
Mr. Lefroy's peculiar conduct, I am persuaded is
nothing more nor leas than • farce. Whether Mr.
Lefroy exceeded the limit of his power on Friday last,
or whether his usual mode of procedure is maintain.
able, I am not in a position to say; but even to the
uninitiated the fact of a judge continually harping
solicitors to withdrawn or compromise their cases
(probably to save the trouble of hearing)—to refuse
point-blank the hearing of witnesses—to persist in
reversing the decisions of juries—and to treat jurors as
a School Board Monitor treats • class of juveniles, is
inexplicable, and I should think unprecedented.
Either Mr. Lefroy is right, or he is wrong—if he is
right and justified in the conduct he pursues, some
alteration in the laws affecting County Courts is
indeed sadly needed. Not even, excepting the exhibi-
tion the judge made of himself in that very court
but • few months ago, when he insisted on the expul-
sion of a reporter (who had not personally offended
him), and made a similar attempt upon another, has
such • scene ever presented itself here, or one
so productive of scandal or expressions of protest.
It surely, to say the leant of it, is not consistent with
the decorum, expected to be observed in • court of
law, to witness the wretched bantering and defiant
denunciations exchanged, as were exchanged on Friday
last, the public, applauding the decision of a jury,
and meeting the observations of a judge before his face
and behind his very chair with overwhelming out-
bursts of disapprobation, and the Judge, ignoring
these manifestations of the public without exerting
himself to check them, is an unparalleled display.
Such ~cenes as these divest a law court of all its dignity,
and the sooner the Lord Chancellor may be pleased to
make an alteration, the better for the public and the
prestige of the courts.