The Sun.
London, England, 1864-07-08 00:00:00

Scene in the House of Commons last Nigh

There were fewer cards left by members with the
chaplain at a quarter to four last afternoon than on
the previous evenings of the debate; but there Was
no lack of those distinguishing marks of a tall at-
tendance. Wnen Mr. Liyard rose the house was
almost thin, the Opposition being in the majority ;
but by half-rast fire the house tied resumed th,..
appearance which has become normal in the pre-
sent Parliamentary conjuncture. The reason tor this
was obvious, for it was soon discovered that Mr.
Layard was making a capital speech. His prepa-
rations showed very formidably. There was a de-
spatch box, full of neatly-arranged papers; on one
side of his chosen position at the table there was
another packet of tethered documents conspicuously
pined before him on the box, which is ho useful in
giving effdct to emphatic periods by the hollow
sound which it returns to the energetic slaps that
are bestowed upon it; while a jortan of water for
purposes of deglutition was exhibited with ominous

ostentation, and flailkigd a pile of volumes of what
were blue-books before they were endued witji the
uniform binding of the library of the house. At
once Mr. Liyard gave notice that he was going to
tn4ke a long speech, and immediately he want in for
uttermost and loyal defence of Lord Russell, by be-
e ming intensely aggressive in a series of paren-
theses, interspersed between statements of facts, col-
lation of documents, and explaining away of the
well-culled quotations which had been used by
gentlemen opposed. Notably, he dissipated what
was suppo_ed to be a great point made by some-
body—Mr. Horeman, we believe—on the date and
the locality of what is called the "Gotha de-

gptch," which he showed was not written in

a Cabinet in Germany under the supervision of
the King of Prussia, but in Downing-street,

before Lord Russell went on his continental
tour in attendance on the Queen. This speech
was the more welcome even to the opponents

of the Government, because it was the first formal
defence of their policy which had been attempted
since Mr. Gladstone bad spoken. Speaking directly
from the Foreign Office, Mr. Layard may have been
expected to be earnest, even energetic ; but be un-
questionably outdid all expectations. He stirred
and excited the House; the cheers broke out at
almost every other sentence; every point was taken
up warmly by the members behind nitn ; while the
pleasant bitter of ironical cheers was administered
to him with a palpable tonic effect. Ttle least tacti-
cal part of his speech, its condemnation, distributing
defiance and retort with a slight indiscretion, had
the effect of putting the House into a turmoil and
a state of antagonism which tended to give a pro
minency to Mr. Gathorne Hardy, who followed,
which that gentleman would hardly have achieved
for himself, however well he had got up his lesson.
Cut toasty enough, Lord Jobn Manners rose at the
same time with Mr. Hardy, indicating an absence
of arrangement in the debate; for, both bang oc-
cupants of the front Opposition bench, they might
be supposed to have been in communication on the
matter of macmlvring. Mr. Hardy is what may be
called a tempestuous speaker. and seems to be in a
state of chronic excitement, and, flushed beyond
himself by the spirit of the scene, he used words
towards Mr. Liyard which caused that gentleman
to jump up and demand that they should "be taken
down." The Speaker, actuated by the reluctance
to put in force the penal rules of the House, owing
to an ignorance he shares with all his predecessors
as to what is to be done in order to carry them out
in action, intimated that, looking to the habits of
the present Parliament, he saw nothing particular in
the language in question. This brought up Lora
Palmerston in a well-assumed rage, who impeached
the decision of the chair; to whom came, in a still
better feigned passion, Mr. Disraeli, who brought
up Mr. Gladstone in a real one ; and in the
melee, which grew hot aed furious, Mr. Osborne
intervened in the new character of the " air pietate
gravis," whose calm and reverend presence has been
described as effectual in tatenag down the passionate
impulses of a crowd, and demanded deference to the
decision of the chair. On this the Speaker, who
had been rather snubbed, insinuete d !hat both par.
ties were in the wrong, and that the best thing
they could do was to let the matter drop, with a
promise not to "do so any more," which -half-ear.
cestic advice was duly followed. Soon after the
House was left in the hands of Sir Francis Gold-
mid, until Mr. G. Bentinek rose to gratify a natural
curiosity as to how be would vote, and who, while
stating that he should go against Ministers, de-
clared that he could not go into the same lobby
with certain Irish Roman Catholic members, if he

.
was assured that they had agreed to withdraw
their ordinary support from the Government, under
what he insinuated WEI.S a questionable compact.
This was reasonably expected immediately to pro-
duce a row; but although Mr. Cogan, evidently in
the character of a representative man amongst Irish
Liberal members, declared that he was about to
desert Ministers, the discussion lapsed quietly down
to Mr. Peacocke, who, as usual, tried to bs very
particular, but was not. It seemed somewhat of a
wasting of the first-class material of the Government
debating power to put up the Attorney-General at
a point of the discussion when nothing had occurred
to stir the hon. and learned gentleman up to con-
cert-pitch ; and thouga he delivered a most masterly
speech, the circumstances of the hour were unfavour-
able to his developing all his qualities, and pouring
out that eloquence which he is well known to pos-
sess. II:s argumentation was nearly faultless, and
his interjectional observations were pointed and
spirited; but those woo expected a burst of decla-
mation at the close of his address must have
been a little disappointed. Lord John Manners
had the dissatisfaction of shouting his carefully-
balanced sentences, in his most strident tones, to the
very smallest audience which had listened to any
speaker who claims pretensions to at least a second
rank. At last Mr. Osborne obtained the privilege
which belongs to the gentleman who moves the
adjournment of the debate ; and of course this pos-
session will act as an invitation of the most general
character to the House. Toe discussion was not
allowed to close without a characteristic attempt on
tae part of Mr. Heunessy to get up a scene with
Lord Palmerston, which, however, the noble lord
literally dashed aside. It is to be noted that it is
arranged that the debate is to close this night.

Mr. Gladstone and Reform,

Mr Thomas Pinder, having conveyed to Mr Glad.
stone a resolution expressing approval of Mr Glad•
stove's public career and his opinions an reform,
which was adopted recendy at a meeting of the
working men of Newark, has received from the
Chancellor of the Exchi quer the following reply :
"Carlton House-terrace, S.W., July I.
"Sir—l have received with particular interest and
gratification the resolutions which you have been
good enough to forward to me from a meeting of
the working men of Newark. lam not friendly to
changes either sudden or violent, but I cannot
wonder that they should regret the almost entire
withdrawal (as I presume it to be), in places
like Newark, from their class, of the privilege
of the suffrage ; and I hope to see the public opinion
of this country move gradually and steadily in the
direction of such measures as, write neither derange
ing or disturbing society, would sensibly widen the
basis of our institutions, and contribute in propor•
tion to their solidity and strength. Long years
have now severed me from Newark, and those
whom I remember there, or could remember nie,
are principally numbered with their fathers. But
no lapse of time can efface from my mind the me-
mory of the place which gave me, when young, the
opportunity of learning within the wal:s of Pariia.
merit the working of the constitution, and the true
character o►f my country. W►th many thanks for
your obliging note, I remain, Sir, your very faith.
ful servant, "W. E. GLADSTONE.
"Mr. Thomas Pinder."